SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SWITCH MANAGEMENT

• US 20140371883A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Haresh
• Granted Patent: US 9,477,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/206 comprising thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A system and method for switch management includes a switch including a plurality of switch modules, and a status display panel. The plurality of switch modules includes one or more power supply modules for providing power to the switch, one or more cooling modules for cooling the switch, and one or more switching modules. The switch is configured to detect the plurality of switch modules, interrogate the detected switch modules, hierarchically organize status information based on information associated with the interrogated switch modules, and display the organized status information on the status display panel. The status information is displayed on the status display panel using an interactive status display system. In some examples, the switch further includes a plurality of status indicators, and the switch is further configured to temporarily activate the status indicators in response to active use of the status display system.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a plurality of switch modules including one or more power supply modules for providing power to the switch, one or more cooling modules for cooling the switch, and one or more switching modules; and

a status display panel;

wherein the switch is configured to;

detect the plurality of switch modules;

interrogate the detected switch modules;

hierarchically organize status information based on information associated with the interrogated switch modules; and

display the organized status information on the status display panel;

wherein the status information is displayed on the status display panel using an interactive status display system.

2. The switch of claim 1, further comprising:

a chassis comprising a plurality of slots;

wherein the plurality of switch modules are installed in the plurality of slots.

3. The switch of claim 1 wherein the status display panel is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

4. The switch of claim 1 wherein the status display panel includes a touchscreen.

5. The switch of claim 1 wherein the status display system is configured to use visual queuing to convey at least a portion of the status information.

6. The switch of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of status indicators;

wherein the switch is further configured to temporarily activate the status indicators in response to active use of the status display system.

7. The switch of claim 6 wherein:

the one or more switching modules include a module comprising at least one network port; and

at least one of the plurality of status indicators conveys a status of the at least one network port.

8. The switch of claim 1 wherein each of the one or more switching modules are selected from a group consisting of a line card, a route processing module (RPM), a switching fabric module (SFM), and an uplink module.

9. The switch of claim 1 wherein:

the one or more switching modules include a RPM; and

the RPM is configured to collect the status information and display the status information using the status display system.

10. The switch of claim 9 wherein the RPM is coupled to the switching modules using one or more system management buses (SMBs) or one or more intelligent platform management interfaces (IPMIs).

11. The switch of claim 1 wherein the switch is further configured to:

periodically reinterrogate the detected switch modules; and

update the status information based on information associated with the reinterrogation.

12. The switch of claim 1 wherein the switch is further configured to:

detect addition and removal of switch modules during switch operation; and

update the status information based on information associated with the added or removed switch modules.

13. The switch of claim 1 wherein the switch is further configured to display informational messages on the status display panel based on the status information.

14. The switch of claim 1 wherein the switch is further configured to allow configuration of the switch using the status display system.

15. The switch of claim 14 wherein the switch is further configured to apply a security policy to prevent undesirable configuration of the switch.

16. The switch of claim 1 wherein the status display panel is positioned on the switch so as to not reduce a total number of network ports supported by the one or more switching modules.

17. A method for managing a switch, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of switch modules including one or more power supply modules for providing power to the switch, one or more cooling modules for cooling the switch, and one or more switching modules; and

interrogating the detected switch modules;

hierarchically organizing status information based on information associated with the interrogated switch modules; and

displaying the organized status information on a status display panel using an interactive status display system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising activating a plurality of status indicators during active use of the status display system.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting addition and removal of switch modules during switch operation; and

updating the status information based on information associated with the added or removed switch modules.

20. An information handling system comprising:

a switch configured to receive a plurality of switch modules including one or more power supply modules for providing power to the switch, one or more cooling modules for cooling the switch, and one or more switching modules;

a plurality of status indicators; and

a status display panel;

wherein the switch is configured to;

detect the plurality of switch modules;

interrogate the detected switch modules;

hierarchically organize status information based on information associated with the interrogated switch modules;

detect addition and removal of switch modules during switch operation;

update the status information based on information associated with the added or removed switch modules;

display the organized status information on the status display panel using an interactive status display system; and

temporarily activate the status indicators in response to active use of the status display system;

wherein the status display panel is positioned on the switch so as to not reduce a total number of network ports supported by the one or more switching modules.