SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR NETWORK ENABLED WAKE FOR NETWORKS

• US 20130132745A1
• Filed: 11/22/2011
• Published: 05/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schoening, Charles B., Parello, John D., Ghose, Tirthankar, Ross, Rachel, Imam, Amber
• Application Number:
  US13/302,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132745A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3209 Monitoring remote activity, e.g. over telephone lines or network connections

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a message at a network element configured for routing packets, where the message directs a network device to change its power state; identifying the network device as being associated with a network for which the network element has responsibility; and communicating at least a portion of the message from the network element to the network device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a message at a network element configured for routing packets, wherein the message directs a network device to change its power state;

identifying the network device as being associated with a network for which the network element has responsibility; and

communicating at least a portion of the message from the network element to the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an application program interface (API) is leveraged in order to communicate the portion of the message, which identifies a media access control (MAC) address associated with the network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes filter criteria to be used to identify the network device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

searching a selection criteria database to identify the network device identified by the filter criteria.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the filter criteria is used to identify a group of network devices for which a subsequent message for changing power states is intended.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is part of a subnet associated with the network element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a subsequent message at the network element, wherein the subsequent message directs a group of network devices to change their respective power states;

identifying priority characteristics associated with the group of network devices; and

communicating at least a portion of the subsequent message to a certain subset of the group of network devices based on their respective priority characteristics.

8. Logic encoded in non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a message at a network element configured for routing packets, wherein the message directs a network device to change its power state;

identifying the network device as being associated with a network for which the network element has responsibility; and

communicating at least a portion of the message from the network element to the network device.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein an application program interface (API) is leveraged in order to communicate the portion of the message, which identifies a media access control (MAC) address associated with the network device.

10. The logic of claim 8, wherein the message includes filter criteria to be used to identify the network device.

11. The logic of claim 10, further comprising:

searching a selection criteria database to identify the network device identified by the filter criteria.

12. The logic of claim 10, wherein the filter criteria is used to identify a group of network devices for which a subsequent message for changing power states is intended.

13. The logic of claim 8, wherein the network device is part of a subnet associated with the network element.

14. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a subsequent message at the network element, wherein the subsequent message directs a group of network devices to change their respective power states;

identifying priority characteristics associated with the group of network devices; and

communicating at least a portion of the subsequent message to a certain subset of the group of network devices based on their respective priority characteristics.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element;

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with electronic code; and

a module operable to interface with the processor such that the apparatus is configured for;

receiving a message at a network element configured for routing packets, wherein the message directs a network device to change its power state;

identifying the network device as being associated with a network for which the network element has responsibility; and

communicating at least a portion of the message from the network element to the network device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an application program interface (API) is leveraged in order to communicate the portion of the message, which identifies a media access control (MAC) address associated with the network device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the message includes filter criteria to be used to identify the network device.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, the apparatus being further configured for:

searching a selection criteria database to identify the network device identified by the filter criteria.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the filter criteria is used to identify a group of network devices for which a subsequent message for changing power states is intended.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the network device is part of a subnet associated with the network element.