Signaling address resolution in a communication network

• US 6,785,725 B1
• Filed: 04/28/2000
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Inventors: Ramanan, Gopinath
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US09/561,373
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 712/21, 712/11, 370/356, 370/699, 370/403, 370/355, 370/466, 370/392, 370/400, 709/245, 709/238, 709/207, 709/216, 709/204, 709/226, 709/251, 709/252, 709/227, 359/326, 398/59
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/427 with decentralised control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A network configuration and method provide communication setup between neighbor nodes in a communication network, without broadcasting this setup information over the network. A signaling bandwidth separated from the data communication channel bandwidth facilitates address resolution over a common transmission medium. The user is not required to know any physical address properties of the neighbor nodes. This reduces the complexity of the information that a network administrator is required to manage. This processing feeds into a complete address resolution table, which is employed for controlling network communication over the main data communication channel bandwidth. Typically, substantially continuous transmission and/or reception over the signaling bandwidth is useful not only to determine the neighbor node'"'"'s active address upon startup, but also while the network is running, to detect if a signaling element has been exchanged or has changed activity. The address resolution is automatically updated to reflect a new configuration.

Claims

1. A method of signaling address resolution in a communication network between a first network device and a second network device neighboring said first network device and being connected to said first network device by a transmission medium, said communication network utilizing a communication channel bandwidth of said transmission medium for network communication, said method comprising:

a) establishing a dedicated signaling bandwidth in said transmission medium for non-broadcast communication between said first network device and said second network device, said dedicated signaling bandwidth being outside said communication channel bandwidth;

b) periodically transmitting a physical address information of said first network device from said first network device to said second network device over said transmission medium in said dedicated signaling bandwidth;

c) receiving said physical address information of said first network device by said second network device; and

d) employing said physical address information for controlling network communication between said first network device and said second network device in said communication channel bandwidth.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network has a topology selected from the group consisting of a ring network, a mesh network, and a bus network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical address information is used to construct an address resolution table.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said address resolution table is communicated across said communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmission medium is selected from the group consisting of electrical conductors and optical fibers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network protocol is selected from Ethernet, ATM, and proprietary format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said periodic transmitting is performed to continuously update said physical address information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving is performed to continuously update said physical address information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical address is transmitted in said dedicated signaling bandwidth.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication between said first network device and said second network device comprises sharing an application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises a plurality of network devices, and wherein said method comprises transmitting said physical address information to at least one of said plurality of said network devices.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said physical address information is used by at least one of said network devices to construct a network address resolution table.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication channel bandwidth is carried over a first optical wavelength in said transmission medium, and said dedicated signaling bandwidth is carried over a second optical wavelength in said transmission medium, said first and second optical wavelengths being distinct from each other.

13. A communication network utilizing a communication channel bandwidth for network communication and having signaling address resolution, said communication network comprising:

a) a first network device;

b) a second network device neighboring said first network device;

c) a transmission medium connecting said first network device and said second network device, said transmission medium supporting a dedicated signaling bandwidth for non-broadcast communication between said first network device and said second network device, said dedicated signaling bandwidth being outside said communication channel bandwidth;

d) means for periodically transmitting a physical address information of said first network device from said first network device to said second network device over said transmission medium in said dedicated signaling bandwidth;

e) means for receiving said physical address information of said first network device by said second network device; and

f) a network control device for processing said physical address information for controlling network communication between said first network device and said second network device in said communication channel bandwidth.

14. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said means for transmitting said physical address information comprises a transmit card mounted in said first network device.

15. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said means for receiving said physical address information comprises a receive card mounted in said second network device.

16. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said transmission medium is selected from the group consisting of electrical conductors and optical fibers.

17. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said communication network has a topology selected from the group consisting of ring networks, mesh networks, and bus networks.

18. The communication network of claim 13, further comprising a plurality of said first network devices and said second network devices.

19. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said communication network architecture is selected from the group consisting of Ethernet configured for carrying IP format traffic and proprietary format traffic.

21. The communication network of claim 13, wherein said communication channel bandwidth is carried over a first optical wavelength in said transmission medium, and said dedicated signaling bandwidth is carried over a second optical wavelength in said transmission medium, said first and second optical wavelengths being distinct from each other.

22. A network device, which is connected to a second network device via a daisy-chain connection, comprising:

means for receiving, periodically, signaling information over the daisy-chain connection;

means for extracting a network address of the second network device from the received signaling information; and

means for performing data communications with the second network device over the daisy-chain connection using the extracted network address.

23. The network device of claim 22, wherein said means for receiving said signaling information comprises a mounted receive card.

24. The network device of claim 22, wherein said daisy-chain connection comprises an optical fiber.

25. The network device of claim 24, wherein

said means for receiving is configured to receive said signaling information over said dedicated signaling bandwidth carried over a first optical wavelength in said daisy-chain connection, and

said means for performing data communications is configured to utilize said communication channel bandwidth carried over a second optical wavelength in said daisy-chain connection, is carried over said first optical wavelength in said daisy-chain connection, and said dedicated signaling bandwidth is carried over said second optical wavelength in said daisy-chain connection, said first and second optical wavelengths being distinct from each other.

26. The network device of claim 22, wherein said daisy-chain connection to said second network device forms at least a portion of an optical ring network.

27. The network device of claim 26, wherein said optical ring network operates according to an Ethernet protocol.

28. The network device of claim 22, further comprising:

means for using said extracted network address to continuously update an address resolution table.

29. The network device of claim 22, wherein said means for extracting is configured to periodically extract the network address of the second network device in response to the received signaling information being periodically transmitted by the second network device.