Standardized method and apparatus for gathering device identification and/or configuration information via a physical interface

• US 7,143,155 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 11/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Fu, Reed, Reginald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US09/895,434
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-225, 709/204, 709/208, 379/221.03, 370/58.2, 707/10, 714/1, 714/2, 714/37
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

Described is a standard physical interface with a standardized response protocol would enable a craft or technician employee accurately and quickly to verify network devices'"'"' various identities and configurations, including relatively fixed hardware configurations and relatively rapidly changing software configurations. The apparatus for gathering network device data includes a first non-volatile memory on the network device storing defined device-specific data and being writable via the network and also readable. The apparatus further includes a physical read port on the network device including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for reading the data from the first memory. Finally, the apparatus includes data-gathering means physically separate from but compatible with the read port and programmed to read the data from the first memory in accordance with the protocol, the data-gathering means including a second non-volatile memory for recording the data read from the first memory. The first memory may be partitioned to include plural storage locations for data of various types including network device identification data regarding hostname, IP address, MAC address, CLLI codes and physical device location, as well as configuration data regarding at least hardware and software revisions. The method includes providing a network device with a non-volatile memory and with an externally accessible physical data read port; programming one or more memory locations therein with data regarding the identification and configuration thereof, the one or more memory locations being readable by an external reader mechanism over the port; and providing a portable reader mechanism external to the network device but physically and logically compatible therewith for reading and recording the data from the network device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a network device including a first memory to store hardware and software version numbers for the network device in a predetermined memory location;

the network device furthering including a physical read port coupled to the first memory, said physical port including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for reading said hardware and software version numbers from the predetermined memory location independently of any network protocols; and

data-gathering circuitry physically separate from but compatible with said read port and programmed to automatically read said hardware and software version numbers from the predetermined memory location using the protocol,

said automatic reading from the predetermined memory location further programmed to occur in response to detachably coupling the data-gathering circuitry to the network device and independently of any manual inputs over any human interface devices for either the data-gathering circuitry or the network device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data-gathering circuitry further includes a second memory for recording said hardware and software version numbers, said second memory partitioned to include plural storage locations for data of various types, said types including network device identification data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said software version number specifies a currently loaded software version for the network device from a plurality of software versions that are compatible with the network device but not currently loaded on the network device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware and software version numbers are transferred from the network device to the data-gathering circuitry regardless of whether the network device is accessible by any networks.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein both the data-gathering circuitry and the network device are physically decoupled from any visual displays immediately before, during and immediately after the automatic reading.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the data-gathering circuitry is structured to detachably couple to a device having a screen and transfer the hardware and software version numbers to the device having the screen for displaying the hardware and software version numbers on the screen.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said physical port is mounted in an accessible physical location on the network device.

8. The system of claim 7 which comprises plural instances of said physical port in at least two distinct physical locations thereon, said plural instances of said physical port providing parallel access to said first nonvolatile memory for reading the hardware and software version numbers therefrom.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said plural instances of said physical port are at least two instances and wherein said two physical ports are physically located adjacent forward and rearward edges of the network device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said protocol is bit serial.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said interface and protocol are in accordance with the RS-232 standard.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said hardware and software revision indicia are stored in accordance with a predefined format.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said predefined format is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard.

14. A method of gathering network device data, the method comprising:

providing a network device with a non-volatile memory and with an externally accessible physical data read port thereto,

preconfiguring the network device with protocols necessary to cause the network device to automatically initiate communications in response to an external reader mechanism being physically coupled to the data read port;

programming one or more predetermined memory locations in the network device with data regarding a defined identification and a defined configuration of the network device, the one or more memory locations being readable by the external reader mechanism over the data read port;

physically coupling the external reader mechanism to the data read port; and

automatically initiating communications in response to the physical coupling, the automatically initiated communications transferring at least a portion of said data from the network device to the external reader mechanism;

wherein the external reader mechanism is programmed to read the data from the predetermined memory locations.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said programming of the one or more predetermined memory locations is with data stored in a predefined format.

16. The method of claim 14 where the external reader mechanism does not have a user interface.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications are in accordance with the RS-232 standard and wherein the data are stored in a predefined format.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predefined format in which the data are stored is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

19. A computer-readable medium containing a program for gathering network device data by an external reader mechanism from a network device, the program comprising:

instructions residing in the network device for programming one or more memory locations in the network device with data regarding a defined identification and a defined configuration of the network device, the one or more memory locations being readable by an external reader mechanism over an externally accessible physical data read port thereto, said programming instructions being executable responsive to a write command received over a network communication line, and

instructions residing in the network device for providing read access, of the programmed data in the one or more memory locations in the network device, to the external reader mechanism responsive to a read prompt from the external reader mechanism.

20. The computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 19, which computer readable medium further comprises:

instructions residing in the external reader mechanism for prompting a read of the programmed data in the one or more memory locations in the network device and for storing the data read therefrom in a non-volatile memory location within the external reader mechanism.

21. The computer-readable medium in accordance with claim 20, wherein the programming of the one or more memory locations within the network device is with data stored in a predefined format and wherein the storing of the programmed data within the external reader mechanism is also in a predefined format.

22. A system, comprising:

means for providing a network device with a non-volatile memory and with an externally accessible physical data read port thereto,

means for preconfiguring the network device with protocols necessary to cause the network device to automatically initiate communications in response to an external reader mechanism being physically coupled to the data read port;

means for programming one or more memory locations in the network device with data regarding a defined identification and a defined configuration of the network device, the one or more memory locations being readable by an external reader mechanism over the data read port;

means for physically coupling the external reader mechanism to the data read port; and

automatically initiating communications in response to the physical coupling, the automatically initiated communications transferring at least a portion of said data from the network device to the external reader mechanism;

wherein said programming of the one or more predetermined memory locations is with data stored in a predefined format.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the external reader mechanism is a handheld portable device that uploads the portion of said data to a personal computer independently of any Local Area Networks (LANs).

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said external reader mechanism includes a predefined physical and logical interface and means for reading and recording the portion of said data in accordance with a predefined protocol.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the protocol is bit serial, wherein the interface and protocol are in accordance with the RS-232 standard and wherein the portion of the data is stored in a predefined format.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the predefined format in which the portion of the data is stored is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

27. Apparatus for gathering network configuration information from a screenless network device having a physical port for exporting network configuration information stored in a memory device therein, the apparatus comprising:

a screenless portable device;

a memory within said screenless portable device;

a physical port on the screenless portable device, said physical port including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for reading the network configuration information from the memory device in the screenless network device, said protocol operating independently of any network protocols, and

a processor coupled with the memory within said portable device, the processor to automatically initiate a transfer of the network configuration information from the screenless network device to said memory in said screenless portable device in response to a manual physical coupling of the screenless network device to the physical port, said automatic initiated transfer occurring independently of any manual operations besides the manual physical coupling.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said network configuration information includes one or more of a hostname, a Internet protocol (IP) address, a medium access control (MAC) address, one or more common language location identifier (CLLI) codes and physical device location information for the screenless network device.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said network configuration information further includes network device configuration data.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said network device configuration data include firmware and software configuration data.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said protocol is bit serial.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said interface and protocol are in accordance with the RS-232 standard.

33. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said data are stored in accordance with a predefined format.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said predefined format is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard.

35. A system for gathering network device data from a network device, the system comprising:

a first non-volatile memory on the network device, said first memory storing firmware configuration data and being writable via the network and being readable;

a physical read port on the network device, said physical port including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for reading said data from said first memory; and

a portable reader mechanism programmed to read said data from said first memory in accordance with said protocol, said portable reader mechanism including a second non-volatile memory for recording said data read from said first memory, thereby enabling a user to gather and record firmware configuration data;

wherein said portable reader mechanism is configured so that a user can gather and record the firmware configuration data without relying on a network connection.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said second non-volatile memory is partitioned to include plural storage locations for data of various types, said types including network device identification data.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said network device identification data includes one or more of the hostname, the Internet protocol (IP) address, the medium access control (MAC) address, one or more common language Location Identifier (CLLI) codes and physical device location information for the network device.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said types further include network device configuration data.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said network device configuration data includes hardware and software configuration data.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said hardware and software configuration data includes hardware and software revision indicia.

41. The system of claim 35, wherein said physical port of said network device is mounted in an accessible physical location.

42. The system of claim 41 further comprising a plurality of physical ports in at least two distinct physical locations thereon, said plurality of physical ports providing parallel access to said first non-volatile memory for reading the device-specific data therefrom.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein at least one of the plurality of physical ports is located on a front edge of the network device and at least a second of the plurality of physical ports is located on a rear edge of the network device.

44. The system of claim 35, wherein said protocol is bit serial.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said interface and protocol are in accordance with the RS-232 standard.

46. The system of claim 35, wherein said data are stored in accordance with a predefined format.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said predefined format is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard.

48. A method, comprising:

providing a network device with a non-volatile memory and with an externally accessible physical data read port thereto;

preconfiguring the network device with protocols necessary to cause the network device to automatically initiate communications in response to an external reader mechanism being physically coupled to the data read port;

programming one or more memory locations in the network device with data regarding a defined identification and a defined configuration of the network device, the one or more memory locations being readable by an external reader mechanism over the data read port; and

physically coupling the external reader mechanism to the data read port; and

automatically initiating communications in response to the physical coupling, the automatically initiated communications transferring at least a portion of said data from the network device to the external reader mechanism;

where the external reader mechanism does not have a user interface.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said programming of the one or more memory locations is with data stored in a predefined format.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein said external reader mechanism includes a predefined physical and logical interface and wherein the automatically initiated communications are in accordance with a predefined protocol.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the predefined protocol is bit serial, wherein the interface is in accordance with the RS-232 standard and wherein the portion of the data is stored in a predefined format.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the predefined format in which the portion of the data is stored is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) format.

53. A system for gathering network device data from a network device having a physical port for exporting network device-specific data stored in a memory device therein, the apparatus comprising:

a hand held portable device;

a non-volatile memory within said portable device;

a processor coupled with the non-volatile memory within said portable device; and

a physical port on the portable device, said physical port including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for automatically reading data from the memory device in the network device in response to a physical coupling of the physical port and the network device, said protocol operating independently of any network protocols;

wherein the non-volatile memory within said portable device is partitioned to include plural storage locations for data of various types, said types including network device identification data, thereby enabling a user to gather and record network device data and to transport such network device data to a remote location,

and further wherein said hand held portable device is configured to allow said user to gather and record network device data specific to the network device without relying on a network connection.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said network device identification data include one or more of a hostname, an Internet protocol (IP) address, a medium access control (MAC) address, one or more common language location identifier (CLLI) codes and physical device location information from the network device.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said types further include network device configuration data.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein said network device configuration data include firmware and software configuration data.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein said protocol is bit serial.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said interface and protocol are in accordance with the RS-232 standard.

59. The system of claim 53, wherein said data are stored in accordance with a predefined format.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said predefined format is in accordance with the Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard.

62. The system of claim 60 wherein the network device is a rack mounted server.

61. A system, comprising:

a first memory storing a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) version number that distinguishes a currently loaded BIOS version for the network device from a plurality of BIOS versions that are compatible with the network device but not currently loaded on the network device, said first memory integrated with the network device;

a physical read port including a set of one or more signals defining a physical interface and a protocol for reading the BIOS version number from said first memory, said read port integrated with the network device and said protocol operating independently of any network protocols; and

data-gathering circuitry physically separate from but compatible with the network device having said read port and programmed to read the BIOS version number from said first memory in accordance with said protocol, said data-gathering circuitry including a second non-volatile memory for recording the BIOS version number read from said first memory, said data gathering circuitry structured to detachably couple to the network device thereby enabling a user to gather and record the BIOS version number.