Methods and apparatus for determining, verifying, and rediscovering network IP addresses

• US 6,360,276 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/590,747
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 707/10, 709/201, 709/220, 709/228, 709/245, 709/222, 709/226, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/323 in the physical layer [OSI layer 1]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for assigning a network address of a target server/host system in a network system having server/host systems interconnected by network links. The apparatus includes a first part residing in a management server/host system and a second part residing in the target server/host system and each part includes a plurality of network address sub-mechanisms and an address manager mechanism for controlling operation of the network address mechanisms. The network address mechanism include, for example, a setup wizard mechanism, a reverse address resolution protocol mechanism, a unit-cast address discovery mechanism and a dynamic host configuration protocol mechanism. The address manager mechanism directs the operation of the network address sub-mechanisms through three modes of operation designated as the address discovery mode, the address verification mode and the operation mode, using each network address sub-mechanism cooperatively and in its own mode of operation, and in certain instances concurrently, to obtain a network address, a subnetwork mask and a gateway address for the target server/host system.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems interconnected through a network, comprising the steps of:

(A) attempting to assign a network address to the target server/host through a dynamic host configuration protocol mechanism operating in the management server/host system and the target server/host system, and

upon a failure to assign a network address by operation of the dynamic host configuration protocol mechanism,

(B) concurrently executing a plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols for determining a network address for the target server/host system, and

(C) assigning as the network address of the target server/host system a network address provided by a first one of the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols to provide a network address.

2. The method of claim 1 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, wherein:

the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols includes

a reverse address resolution protocol, and

step (B) includes the steps of

(1) transmitting reverse address resolution protocol requests, and

(2) monitoring the network for a reverse address resolution protocol response, and

(3) assigning as the network address of the target server/host system a network address extracted from a reverse address resolution protocol response when the reverse address resolution protocol response is the first network address sub-mechanism protocol to provide a network address.

3. The method of claim 1 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, wherein:

the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols includes

a setup wizard mechanism protocol, and

step (B) includes the steps of

(1) monitoring the network for a setup wizard configuration packet, and

(2) assigning as the network address of the target server/host system a network address extracted from a received a setup wizard configuration packet when the setup wizard configuration packet is the first network address sub-mechanism protocol to provide a network address.

4. The method of claim 1 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, wherein:

the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols includes

a unit-cast address discovery protocol, and

step (B) further includes

(1) monitoring the network for a uni-cast echo packet, and

(2) assigning as the network address of the target server/host system a network address extracted from a received uni-cast echo packet when the uni-cast echo packet is the first network address sub-mechanism protocol to provide a network address.

5. The method of claim 1 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, further comprising the steps of:

(D) verifying the network address provided in step (C) by a first one of the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols to provide a network address by

(1) extracting a next received network address from a next one of the plurality of network address sub-mechanism protocols to provide a network address, and

(2) comparing the next received network address with the network address received in step (C) and

(3) when the next received network address is different from the network address received in step (C), returning to step (A).

6. The method of claim 5 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, further comprising the steps of:

(E) when the next received network address is the same as the network address received in step (C) and was received in setup wizard configuration packet, and when the setup wizard configuration packet did not include a subnetwork mask,

(a) transmitting an address mask request to a network default broadcast address, and

(b) when an address mask response is received, extracting the subnetwork mask,

(c) when an address mask response is not received, reading a default mask stored in the target server/host system as the subnetwork mask.

7. The method of claim 6 for assigning a network address to a target server/host system in a networked system including a management server/host system and a plurality of server/host systems, further comprising the steps of:

(F) when the setup wizard configuration packet did not include a default gateway address,

(1) periodically and concurrently transmitting a router solicit message and a request message packet, and

(2) when a router advertisement message or a response message packet is received, extracting the default gateway address from the received router advertisement message or a response message packet.