Remote diagnosis of network device over a local area network

• US 6,067,407 A
• Filed: 06/30/1995
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Information Systems Incorporated (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Talbott, Jefferson F., Russell, William C., Wadsworth, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/497,122
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/650, 395/200.02, 395/200.01, 395/700, 395/200.04, 395/200.12, 395/800, 395/831, 395/821, 370/94.1, 370/85.5, 370/85.2, 370/62, 370/60, 370/389, 370/449, 370/384, 370/256, 370/338, 370/401, 370/471, 370/402, 370/257, 379/389, 379/202, 358/468, 358/119, 358/183, 710/10, 710/32, 710/72, 710/128, 710/129, 710/71, 710/262, 710/106, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test

Abstract

Dump and debug utilities which provide mechanisms, for a network user from his or her workstation which is connected to a local area network, to remotely examine and control software executing on an interface board connected elsewhere to the network. The dump and debug facilities allow a network user to locate accessible interface boards and to issue dump and debug commands by which dump/debug network packets are constructed, and transmitted over the LAN to the interface board. Thereafter, the dump and debug utilities receive dump/debug packets generated by the interface board in response to the workstation packet, decode the packet, and display the results to the user. At the interface board side, the dump/debug packets received from the network workstation are intercepted by the data link layer of the board'"'"'s interrupt handler, and are processed in an interrupt-disabled state whereby appropriate dump and debug capabilities can be carried out even if the interface board is otherwise non-operational.

Claims

1. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by receipt of a packet from a remote user over the local area network containing a unique dump/debug packet header and a data portion, thereby placing the network device into an interrupt-disabled state, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands, and

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received from a remote user over the local area network and executed by the network device.

2. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the software module in said data link layer sends a response packet confirming that dump/debug command execution has been completed.

3. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to dump some or all of the contents of a memory on the network device.

4. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to store data from the packet to specific locations of a memory on the network device.

5. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the dump/debug command causes the network device to suspend the execution of currently executing software in the application layer until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

6. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the dump/debug command causes the application layer to defer the processing of all incoming data packets received during the execution of the dump/debug command until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

7. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the execution of the dump/debug command causes the data link layer to ignore the processing of all subsequent incoming dump/debug commands from a different source received during the execution of the dump/debug command until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

8. A network device according to claim 1, wherein the dump/debug command to resume execution includes commands to instruct the network device to quit the interrupt-disabled state and resume normal operations so as to allow for the dump/debug command from a different source to be processed.

9. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by receipt of a packet from a remote user over the local area network containing a unique dump/debug packet header and a data portion, thereby placing the network device into an interrupt-disabled state, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands,

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received from a remote user over the local area network and executed by the network device,

wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to store data from the packet to specific locations of a memory on the network device, and

wherein storage of predetermined pieces of data causes the network device to enter into a debug mode of operation.

10. A network device according to claim 9, wherein storage of the predetermined piece of data causes a subsequent break-in into a debug mode.

11. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the software module in the data link layer sends a response packet confirming that dump/debug command execution has been completed.

12. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to dump some or all of the contents of a memory on the network device.

13. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the execution of the dump/debug command causes the network device to suspend the execution of all currently executing software in the application layer until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

14. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the execution of the dump/debug command causes the application layer to defer the processing of all incoming data packets received during the execution of the dump/debug command until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

15. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the execution of the dump/debug commands causes the data link layer to ignore the processing of subsequent incoming dump/debug commands from a different source received during the execution of the dump/debug command until a dump/debug command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device.

16. A network device according to claim 9, wherein the dump/debug command to resume execution include commands to instruct the network device to quit the interrupt-disabled state and resume normal operations so as to allow for the dump/debug command from a different source to be processed.

17. A computer-executable utility on a workstation of a local area network (LAN) to which is connected an interface board for a network peripheral, the computer-executable utility comprising:

a user interface for accepting user-originated dump/debug commands;

process steps to construct a dump/debug network packet containing at least one dump/debug command, in accordance with one of the user-originated commands;

process steps to send the dump/debug packet across the LAN to the interface board, the dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

process steps to receive a response dump/debug packet originating from the interface board via the LAN, the response dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

process steps to verify the response dump/debug packet by comparing the sequence number of the dump/debug packet to the sequence number of the response dump/debug packet; and

process steps to display to the user dump/debug results which are based on the response dump/debug packet in a case that the response dump/debug packet has been verified.

18. A computer-executable utility according to claim 17, further comprising process steps to re-send dump/debug packets in a case that the response dump/debug packet is not verified.

19. A computer-executable utility on a workstation of a local area network (LAN) to which is connected an interface board for a network peripheral, comprising:

a user interface for accepting user-originated dump/debug commands;

process steps to construct a dump/debug network packet containing at least one dump/debug command, in accordance with one of the user-originated commands;

process steps to send the dump/debug packet across the LAN to the interface board, the dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

process steps to receive a response dump/debug packet originating from the interface board via the LAN;

process steps to verify the response dump/debug packet by comparing the sequence number of the dump/debug packet to the sequence number of the response dump/debug packet; and

process steps to display to the user dump/debug results which are based on the response dump/debug packet in a case that the response dump/debug packet has been verified;

wherein the sequence number of the dump/debug packet is incremented from a preceding dump/debug packet.

20. A computer-executable utility according to claim 19, further comprising process steps to re-send dump/debug packets in a case that the response dump/debug packet is not verified.

21. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by a unique dump/debug packet header, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands,

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device, and

wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to open and close a connection to a particular network workstation so as to recognize dump/debug packets from the network workstation only, to transmit data from a memory on the network device to the LAN, to store data from a packet in a memory on the network device, and to suspend and resume execution of the software module.

22. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by a unique dump/debug packet header, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands,

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device,

wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to open and close a connection to a particular network workstation so as to recognize dump/debug packets from the network workstation only, to transmit data from a memory on the network device to the LAN, to store data from a packet to specific locations of a memory on the network device, and to suspend and resume execution of the software module, and

wherein storage of predetermined pieces of data causes the network device to enter into a debug mode of operation.

23. A network workstation connected to a local area network (LAN), for requesting and receiving dump/debug information from an interface board which interfaces a network peripheral to the LAN, comprising:

a user interface for accepting user-originated dump/debug commands;

a memory which stores executable process steps; and

a processor which executes the process steps stored in the memory (1) to construct a dump/debug network packet containing a unique dump/debug identification header and at least one dump/debug command, in accordance with one of the user-originated commands, (2) to send the dump/debug packet across the LAN to the interface board, the dump/debug packet including a sequence number, (3) to receive a response dump/debug packet originating from the interface board via the LAN, the response dump/debug packet including a sequence number, (4) to verify the response dump/debug packet by comparing the sequence number of the dump/debug packet to the sequence number of the response dump/debug packet, and (5) to display to the user dump/debug results which are based on the response dump/debug packet in a case that the response dump/debug packet has been verified.

24. A network workstation according to claim 23, wherein the sequence number of the dump/debug packet is incremented from a preceding dump/debug packet.

25. A network workstation according to claim 23, wherein the processor executes process steps to re-send dump/debug packets in a case that the response dump/debug packet is not verified.

26. A method of requesting and receiving dump/debug information in a workstation connected to a local area network (LAN) to which is connected an interface board which interfaces a network peripheral to the LAN, the method comprising the steps of:

constructing a dump/debug network packet in accordance with one of a plurality of user-originated commands entered on the network workstation, the dump/debug network packet containing a unique dump/debug identification header and at least one dump/debug command;

sending the dump/debug packet across the LAN to the interface board, the dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

receiving, via the LAN, a response dump/debug packet originating from the interface board, the response dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

verifying the response dump/debug packet by comparing the sequence number of the dump/debug packet to the sequence number of the response dump/debug packet; and

displaying to the user dump/debug results which are based on the response dump/debug packet in a case that the response dump/debug packet has been verified.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the sequence number for the dump/debug packet is incremented from a preceding dump/debug packet.

28. A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of re-sending dump/debug packets in a case that the response dump/debug packet is not verified.

29. A computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable process steps, the computer-executable process steps to request and receive dump/debug information in a workstation connected to a local area network (LAN) to which is connected an interface board which interfaces a network peripheral to the LAN, the computer-executable process steps comprising:

a constructing step to construct a dump/debug network packet in accordance with one of a plurality of user-originated commands entered on the network workstation, the dump/debug network packet containing a unique dump/debug identification header and at least one dump/debug command;

a sending step to send the dump/debug packet across the LAN to the interface board, the dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

a receiving step to receive, via the LAN, a response dump/debug packet originating from the interface board, the response dump/debug packet including a sequence number;

a verifying step to verify the response dump/debug packet by comparing the sequence number of the dump/debug packet to the sequence number of the response dump/debug packet; and

a displaying step to display to the user dump/debug results which are based on the response dump/debug packet in a case that the response dump/debug packet has been verified.

30. A computer-readable medium according to claim 29, wherein the sequence number for the dump/debug packet is incremented from a preceding dump/debug packet.

31. A computer-readable medium according to claim 29, further comprising a step to re-send dump/debug packets in a case that the response dump/debug packet is not verified.

32. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by a unique dump/debug packet header, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands,

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device, and

wherein the dump/debug commands are executed exclusively in the data link layer.

33. A network device that interfaces between a local area network (LAN) and a network peripheral, comprising:

a protocol stack which extends from a physical network layer, through an interrupt-driven data link layer, to an application layer which services the network peripheral, the data link layer including a software module which is triggered by a unique dump/debug packet header, which interprets dump/debug commands stored in the data portion of the packet, and which in the interrupt-disabled state executes the dump/debug commands,

wherein the network device maintains the interrupt-disabled state until a command to resume execution is received and executed by the network device,

wherein the dump/debug commands include commands to store data from the packet to specific locations of a memory on the network device,

wherein storage of predetermined pieces of data causes the network device to enter into a debug mode of operation, and

wherein the dump/debug commands are executed exclusively in the data link layer.