Friend configuration and method for network devices

• US 7,152,099 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Arens, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B.
• Application Number:
  US09/703,388
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709221-223, 709217-219, 709225-227, 709245-246, 370/389, 370401-402
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092

Abstract

The present invention provides a network configuration and method where a first device that is unconfigured and connected to the network sends over the network a request for IP configuration information. Responsive to the request for IP configuration information from the first device, a second device that is configured for and connected to the network, responds with at least a portion of its IP configuration information. The at least a portion of the IP configuration of the second device is used to create IP configuration information for the first device.

Claims

1. A network configuration comprising:

one or more configured devices each of which comprises a server, hub, router, client or switch connected to the network, wherein at least one of the configured devices is capable of sending over the network at least a portion of its configuration information including its IP address and its subnet mask; and

an unconfigured device which comprises a server, hub, router, client, or switch connected to the network, wherein the unconfigured device is capable of creating its own configuration information by

combining the IP address of a single one of the configured devices with the subnet mask of the single one of the configured devices to form a device-independent address characteristic of the network;

generating a device address associated with the unconfigured device; and

combining the device-independent address with the device address to form a unique IP address of the unconfigured device.

2. The network configuration recited in claim 1 wherein said unconfigured device modifies the configuration information of said configured device received from said configuration device to create said configuration information for itself.

3. The network configuration recited in claim 2 wherein said configured device sends said configuration information in response to the request for configuration information from said unconfigured device.

4. The network configuration recited in claim 1 wherein said unconfigured device is capable of sending a request for configuration information over the network.

5. The network recited in claim 1 wherein said configuration information created for said unconfigured device is created by said unconfigured device modifying the portion of said configuration information of said configured device.

6. The network configuration of claim 1, wherein the IP address and the subnet mask are separate data items.

7. The network configuration of claim 1, wherein the configured device is not a server, and wherein the unique identification address is not limited to one of a reserved range of addresses corresponding to a local portion of the network.

8. A computer-implemented method of configuring an unconfigured device connected to a network using configuration information of one configured device connected to the network, comprising:

sending over the network from the one configured device to the unconfigured device at least a portion of the configuration information of the configured device, the portion including an IP address and a subnet mask of the configured device, the IP address and the subnet mask of the configured device usable by the unconfigured device to create configuration information by

combining the IP address of the one configured device with the subnet mask of the one configured device to form a device-independent address characteristic of the network;

generating a device address associated with the unconfigured device; and

combining the device-independent address with the device address to form a unique IP address of the unconfigured device.

9. The method recited in claim 8 wherein after the unconfigured device is configured, the configured device can respond to the unconfigured device with network information other than configuration information.

10. The method recited in claim 8 further including the configured device responding with network information other than configuration information.

11. The method recited in claim 10 wherein the other network information is SYSLOG information.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the sending comprises broadcasting the portion of the configuration information over the network without receiving a request for the portion from the unconfigured device.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving from the unconfigured device a request for the portion of the configuration information, wherein the sending is responsive to the receiving.

14. A computer-implemented method of configuring an unconfigured device connected to a network using configuration information of one configured device connected to the network, comprising:

receiving from the one configured device over the network at the unconfigured device at least a portion of the configuration information of the configured device, the portion including an IP address and a subnet mask of the configured device; and

the unconfigured device creating configuration information for the unconfigured device by

combining the IP address with the subnet mask to form a device-independent address characteristic of the network,

generating a device address associated with the unconfigured device, and

combining the device-independent address with the device address to form a unique IP address of the unconfigured device.

15. The method recited in claim 14 further including sending from the unconfigured device a request on the network for configuration information.

16. The method recited in claim 15 wherein the configured device responds to the request from the unconfigured device for configuration information with at least a portion of its configuration information.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the request comprises a multicast packet that indicates that the sending device is unconfigured.

18. The method recited in claim 14 further including determining whether to accept the at least a portion of the configuration information from the configured device.

19. The method recited in claim 14 further including determining whether configuration address information was received from a compatible device.

20. The method recited in claim 14 further including communicating with the configured device or other devices on the network that the unconfigured device is now configured and available for use.

21. The method recited in claim 14 further including confirming that the IP address created for the unconfigured device is not currently in use.

22. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the device address of the unconfigured device is generated using a hash algorithm.

23. The method of claim 14, comprising:

the unconfigured device requesting the portion of the configuration information from the configured device.