Method and apparatus for identifying devices on a network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A network system, comprising:
- network devices; and
a management device configured to transmit a message to request identification of network devices, the message including a primary/secondary flag;
wherein each of the network devices is configured to respond to the transmitted management device message by transmitting a reply message containing identification information of the responding network device.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for identifying devices on a network. A management device is configured to multicast a query message to request identification of network devices. Each of the network devices is configured to respond to the management device multicast message by transmitting a reply message containing identification information of the responding device. The management device includes a directory containing the identification information of the network devices. The network protocol can include the TCP/IP protocol, and the packets have a format complying with a bootstrap protocol.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A network system, comprising:
-
network devices; and
a management device configured to transmit a message to request identification of network devices, the message including a primary/secondary flag;
wherein each of the network devices is configured to respond to the transmitted management device message by transmitting a reply message containing identification information of the responding network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A computer system for use on a network having network devices, comprising:
-
a port coupled to the network; and
a processor coupled to the port and configured by a program to multicast a query message over the network, the query message including a primary indicator flag;
wherein network devices having a predetermined configuration respond to the query message by transmitting identification messages. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. Apparatus for identifying devices on a network, comprising:
-
a first application running on a first computer system having instructions to cause the first computer system to transmit a query message; and
second application running on a second computer system having instructions for causing the second computer system to respond to the query message by transmitting an identification message;
wherein the first application updates a directory of second computer systems based on the identification messages, and wherein the second application system updates a directory of first computer system responsive to the query message; and
wherein the query message includes a primary/secondary flag recognizable by the second application. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
read the identification information of the first computer system from the directory of first computer systems; and
notify the first computer system of a problem in the second computer system.
-
-
18. A computer system for use in a TCP/IP network having network devices, comprising:
-
a port coupled to the network;
a processor coupled to the port and configured to multicast a query message over the network, the query message including a primary/secondary flag, wherein network devices responds to the query message by transmitting identification messages; and
a storage element storing a directory containing information from the identification messages.
-
Specification