Embedded code memory size reduction in asynchronous mode transfer devices

• US 6,480,891 B1
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chernyak, Arcady, Rochberger, Haim
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US09/225,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 717/174, 717/175, 717/176, 717/177, 717/178, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 700/1, 700/2, 700/3, 700/4, 700/5, 700/9, 700/108, 370/241, 370/250
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5601 Transfer mode dependent, e.g. ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5625 Operations, administration and maintenance [OAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5681 Buffer or queue management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/255 Control mechanisms for ATM switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/65 Re-configuration of fast packet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A system for reducing the memory requirements of an ATM device utilizing one or more temporary code uploads to bring needed portions of application code into the memory of the ATM embedded system on a temporary basis. The present invention functions to divide the code necessary for operation of the ATM device into two categories: (1) application code that is seldom used or code used only once and (2) all other application code. The application code that is seldom used or used only once is removed from the memory of the ATM embedded system and placed in a software storage device external to the system. This serves to significantly reduce the memory requirements of the ATM device, by as much as 40% in come cases depending on the size of the application code portions.

Claims

1. In an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network including at least one ATM embedded device and at least one local management and administration (LMA) device, a method of reducing the code related memory requirements of said ATM device, said method comprising the steps of:

removing seldom used or once used application code from said ATM device and storing it on an external software server;

receiving a request from said LMA device by said ATM device which requires the execution of application code located in said software server;

generating and sending a code request from said ATM device to said software server corresponding to application code needed on said ATM device;

uploading said application code from said software server to said ATM device;

executing said application code on said ATM device; and

generating and sending a response from said ATM device to said LMA device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network comprises a plurality of distributed software servers and said step of generating and sending said code request comprises the step of generating and sending said code request to one of said plurality of distributed software servers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said LMA device and said software server are implemented on the same machine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application code stored on said software server comprises configuration conversion software for version updating.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application code stored on said software server comprises local management software.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said application code stored on said software server comprises debug and test software.