Method and system for automatic configuration of network links to attached devices
First Claim
1. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
- (a) if the multi-segment network device detects that a first bridging device is attached to the first link and that no repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substep;
(a.1) if the first bridging device has been designated as a preferred bridging device, performing the following substeps;
adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the first bridging device andif there is no segment available that does not include a link to the first bridging device, disabling the first link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intelligent network agent software application for multi-segment network devices (such as bridges or multi-segment repeaters) which have one or more network links automatically configures the network links. Several automatic configuration and loop-recovery features are encompassed, each of which applies toward intelligently making decisions on the user'"'"'s behalf, without special knowledge or intervention on the part of the user. Such configuration includes: assigning bridged links to different segments (to maximize the connectivity offered by the bridging and to prevent looping); setting up bridged links on a bridge to form full connectivity across the network with another bridge; setting up redundant connections; disabling ports which are causing loops in the network, or other configuration actions. The agent is preferably fully embedded in the hardware device. However, the agent can also exist remotely and communicate with other software intelligence embedded in the hardware device via either an in-band (network) or an out-of-band (non-network) hardware connection.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
(a) if the multi-segment network device detects that a first bridging device is attached to the first link and that no repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substep; (a.1) if the first bridging device has been designated as a preferred bridging device, performing the following substeps; adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the first bridging device and if there is no segment available that does not include a link to the first bridging device, disabling the first link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
(a) if the network device detects that a first repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substeps; (a.1) if another link to the first repeating device has already been configured, disabling the first link (a.2) if another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured and a preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, performing the following substeps; adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device, and if there is no segment available that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device, disabling the first link. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A multi-segment network device comprising:
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a plurality of segments; a plurality of links; an agent used to configure network device connections to the plurality of links, the agent adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device when the multi-segment network device detects that a first bridging device is attached to the first link, that no repeating device is attached to the first link and that the first bridging device has been designated as a preferred bridging device, the agent disabling the first link when the first bridging device is attached to the first link, no repeating device is attached to the first link, the first bridging device has been designated as the preferred bridging device and there is available no segment that does not include a link to the first bridging device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A multi-segment network device comprising:
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a plurality of segments; a plurality of links; an agent used to configure network device connections to the plurality of links, the agent adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device when the multi-segment network device detects a first repeating device is attached to the first link, that another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured and that the preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, and the agent disabling the first link when the multi-segment network device detects a first repeating device is attached to the first link, that another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured, that the preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, and that there is no available segment that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
(a) if the multi-segment network device detects that a first bridging device is attached to the first link and that no repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substep; (a.1) if the first bridging device has been designated as a preferred bridging device, performing the following substeps; adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the first bridging device and if there is no segment available that does not include a link to the first bridging device, making the first link a redundant connection. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
(a) if the network device detects that a first repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substeps; (a.1) if another link to the first repeating device has already been configured, making the first link a redundant connection (a.2) if another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured and a preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, performing the following substeps; adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device, and if there is no segment available that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device, making the first link a redundant connection.
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20. A multi-segment network device comprising:
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a plurality of segments; a plurality of links; an agent used to configure network device connections to the plurality of links, the agent adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device when the multi-segment network device detects that a first bridging device is attached to the first link, that no repeating device is attached to the first link and that the first bridging device has been designated as a preferred bridging device, the agent making the first link a redundant connection when the first bridging device is attached to the first link, no repeating device is attached to the first link, the first bridging device has been designated as the preferred bridging device and there is available no segment that does not include a link to the first bridging device. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A multi-segment network device comprising:
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a plurality of segments; a plurality of links; an agent used to configure network device connections to the plurality of links, the agent adding the first link to a segment, if available, that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device when the multi-segment network device detects a first repeating device is attached to the first link, that another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured and that the preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, and the agent making the first link a redundant connection when the multi-segment network device detects a first repeating device is attached to the first link, that another link to the first repeating device has not already been configured, that the preferred bridging device is also attached to the first link, and that there is no available segment that does not include a link to the preferred bridging device.
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25. A method by which a multi-segment network device configures network device connections to a first link, the method comprising the following step:
(a) if the network device detects that a first repeating device is attached to the first link, performing the following substeps; (a.1) if another link to the first repeating device has already been configured, disabling the first link.
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26. A multi-segment network device comprising:
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a plurality of segments; a plurality of links; and
,an agent used to configure the plurality of links, the agent obtaining information about devices connected to links in the plurality of links, and based on the information, the agent configuring each link by performing one of the following actions for each link; disabling the link, and assigning the link to one of the plurality of segments; wherein in configuring links, the agent does not allow two links connected to a same external bridging device to be assigned to a same segment from the plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method by which an agent configures a plurality of links within a multi-segment network device, the method comprising the following steps:
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(a) obtaining, by the agent, information about devices connected to links in the plurality of links; and
,(b) based on the information, configuring, by the agent, each link, including one and only one of the following substeps being performed for each link; (b.1) disabling the link, and (b.2) assigning the link to one of a plurality of segments; wherein in configuring links, the agent does not allow two links connected to a same external bridging device to be assigned to a same segment from the plurality of segments. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A system for reconfiguring a network communications topology ("NCT"), the system comprising;
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a multi-segment device having a plurality of links and at least one segment; and an agent that evaluates the NCT for bridging and repeating devices, and subsequently, for each link of the plurality of links, assigns the link to a segment of the at least one segment or disables the link from a segment of the at least one segment to reconfigure the NCT. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for reconfiguring a multi-segment device of a network communications topology ("NCT"), the device having a plurality of links and at least one segment, the method comprising:
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evaluating the NCT for bridging and repeating devices residing external to the multi-segment device; and reconfiguring the multi-segment device using the NCT evaluation by; assigning a link of the plurality of links to a segment of the at least one segment or disabling a link of the plurality of links from a segment of the at least one segment. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A network management system for reconfiguring a network communications topology having bridging and repeating devices, the system comprising:
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a multi-segment element having a plurality of links and at least one segment; a network evaluation component that evaluates the bridging or repeating devices of the network communications topology for configuration conditions and determines a link assignment or link disablement action; and a network control element that either assigns a link of the plurality of links to a segment of the at least one segment or disables a link of the plurality of links from a segment of the at least one segment based on the determination of the network evaluation component. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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Specification