Dynamic virtual local area network connection process
First Claim
1. A method of dynamically connecting a system under test (“
- SUT”
) to and disconnecting said SUT from a virtual local area network (“
VLAN”
) using a VLAN-capable switch connected to the SUT, comprising;
said SUT executing a DVLAN command;
responsive to said execution of said DVLAN command, updating a switch file;
promoting said updated switch file to said VLAN-capable switch;
rebooting said SUT;
checking a MAC address of said SUT against said switch file to determine whether said updated switch file contains a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation entry for said SUT;
responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does contain a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation (“
MAC-VLAN”
) entry for said SUT, connecting said SUT to a VLAN indicated in said MAC-VLAN entry; and
responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does not contain a MAC-VLAN entry for said SUT, connecting said SUT to a default VLAN for said VLAN-capable switch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for dynamically connecting a system under test (“SUT”) to and disconnecting an SUT from a private virtual local area network (“VLAN”) in a computer manufacturing environment are described. In a preferred embodiment, each time an SUT disposed in a burn rack boots up, a VLAN-capable switch (hereinafter “CAT”) connected thereto checks the media access control (“MAC”) address of the SUT against a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation table (“MAC-VLAN table”). If the SUT'"'"'s MAC address is not listed in the MAC-VLAN table, the CAT connects the SUT to a predefined default VLAN; i.e., the manufacturer'"'"'s main manufacturing network. If the SUT'"'"'s MAC address is included in the MAC-VLAN table, there is a private VLAN associated with the SUT and the CAT connects the SUT to the associated VLAN in a conventional fashion, at which point custom configuration can be performed as needed on the private VLAN. The MAC-VLAN correlation is performed as follows. When an SUT is moved from the assembly line to the burn rack, it is connected to the CAT and then booted from a configuration and diagnostics disk (hereinafter “step diskette”). The step diskette for each SUT on which custom configuration is to be performed includes two unique commands thereon; namely, a dv_connect command, which initiates connection of the SUT to an associated private VLAN to enable the custom configuration processes to be performed, and a dv_disconnect command, which initiates disconnection of the SUT from the private VLAN once the custom configuration has been completed.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of dynamically connecting a system under test (“
- SUT”
) to and disconnecting said SUT from a virtual local area network (“
VLAN”
) using a VLAN-capable switch connected to the SUT, comprising;said SUT executing a DVLAN command;
responsive to said execution of said DVLAN command, updating a switch file;
promoting said updated switch file to said VLAN-capable switch;
rebooting said SUT;
checking a MAC address of said SUT against said switch file to determine whether said updated switch file contains a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation entry for said SUT;
responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does contain a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation (“
MAC-VLAN”
) entry for said SUT, connecting said SUT to a VLAN indicated in said MAC-VLAN entry; and
responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does not contain a MAC-VLAN entry for said SUT, connecting said SUT to a default VLAN for said VLAN-capable switch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- SUT”
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9. A system for dynamically connecting a system under test (“
- SUT”
) to and disconnecting said SUT from a virtual local area network (“
VLAN”
) using a VLAN-capable switch connected to the SUT, the system comprising;means for causing said SUT to execute a DVLAN command;
means responsive to said execution of said DVLAN command for updating a switch file;
means for promoting said updated switch file to said VLAN-capable switch;
means for rebooting said SUT;
means for checking a MAC address of said SUT against said switch file to determine whether said updated switch file contains a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation entry for said SUT;
means responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does contain a MAC address-to-VLAN correlation (“
MAC-VLAN”
) entry for said SUT for connecting said SUT to a VLAN indicated in said MAC-VLAN entry; and
means responsive to a determination that said updated switch file does not contain a MAC-VLAN entry for said SUT for connecting said SUT to a default VLAN for said VLAN-capable switch. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- SUT”
Specification