Method and apparatus for VLAN ID discovery

• US 7,385,973 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Huang, Kejin, Turnbull, Robert, Pothier, Michael, Johnson, Trystan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/372,633
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/467 Arrangements for supporting untagged frames, e.g. port-based VLANs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4675 Dynamic sharing of VLAN information amongst network nodes configuration of the network or of network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a first network device to identify the VLAN for which the first network device is a member. In response to the broadcasting of a discovery request message by the first network device, a second network device transmits a first data message including VLAN information relating to the VLANs configured on the network. From the VLAN information, the first network device determines the VLAN ID of the VLAN in which the first network device is a member.

Claims

1. A method of programming a VLAN ID of a first network device connected to a network, the network having a predetermined number of VLANs, comprising:

sending a first discovery message from the first network device, via a switch, to a second network device;

receiving a first data frame from the second network device in response to the first discovery message, the first data frame comprising VLAN ID information relating to at least one predetermined VLAN; and

extracting and saving the VLAN ID information, the VLAN ID information for use in determining the VLAN ID of the first network device.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

sending at least one second discovery message, the at least one second discovery message comprising a VLAN ID associated with the at least one predetermined VLAN; and

receiving a second data frame from the second network device in response to the at least one second discovery message.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein the network comprises a plurality of VLANs, and the first data frame comprises VLAN ID information relating to a plurality of VLANs, and the sending of the at least one second discovery messages further comprises sending at least two messages, each of the messages including a VLAN ID associated with a respective one of the plurality of VLANS.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first discovery message is untagged, and the switch tags the first discovery message with a default VLAN ID of a port of the switch.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second network device is a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first data frame comprises an OFFER request in accordance with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising;

receiving at least one second discovery message, the at least one second discovery message comprising a VLAN ID associated with the at least one predetermined VLAN; and

outputting a second data frame from the second network device in response to the at least one second discovery message.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein the first data frame comprises VLAN ID information relating to a plurality of VLANs, and the outputting of the at least one second discovery messages further comprises outputting at least two messages, each of the messages including a VLAN ID associated with a respective one of the plurality of VLANs.

21. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising:

sending at least one second discovery message, the at least one second discovery message comprising a VLAN ID associated with the at least one predetermined VLAN;

receiving a second data frame from the second network device in response to the at least one second discovery message; and

wherein the first discovery message is untagged, and the switch tags the first discovery message with a default VLAN ID of a port of the switch.

7. A method of programming a VLAN ID of a first network device, comprising:

receiving a first discovery message from the first network device, via a switch, at a second network device;

outputting a first data frame from the second network device in response to the first discovery message, the first data frame comprising VLAN ID information relating to at least one predetermined VLAN, the VLAN ID information for use in determining the VLAN ID of the first network device.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the first discovery message is tagged by a switch with a default VLAN ID of a port of the switch.

11. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein first discovery message is received by, and the first data frame is output by, a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

12. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the first data message comprises an OFFER request in accordance with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

13. A system for programming a VLAN ID of a first network device, comprising:

a switch for receiving a first discovery message from the first network device;

a second network device for receiving the first discovery message from the switch, and in response thereto, outputting a first data frame for receipt by the first network device, the first data frame comprising VLAN ID information relating to at least one predetermined VLAN, the VLAN ID information for use in determining the VLAN ID of the first network device.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the first data frame comprises VLAN ID information relating to a plurality of VLANs, and the switch further receives a plurality of second discovery messages from the network device, each of the plurality of second discovery messages including a VLAN ID associated with a respective one of the plurality of VLANs, and the second network device outputs at least a second data frame in response to at least a one of the plurality of second discovery messages.

15. A system in accordance with claim 14 wherein each of the first and second discovery messages comprise a DISCOVER request in accordance with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), the first and second data messages comprise an OFFER request in accordance with DHCP, and the second network device comprises a server operable in accordance with DHCP.

16. A network device comprising a processor, the processor operable for having the network device:

output a first discovery request for receipt by a second network device;

receive a first data message in response to the first discovery message, the first data message comprising VLAN information relating to at least one predetermined VLAN within a network; and

extract and save the VLAN information, the VLAN information comprising a VLAN ID of a VLAN of which the network device is a member.

17. A device in accordance with claim 16, the processor further operable for having the network device:

send at least one second discovery message, the at least one second discovery message comprising a VLAN ID associated with at least one predetermined VLAN; and

receiving a second data frame from the second network device in response to the at least one second discovery message.

18. A device in accordance with claim 17, wherein the first data frame comprises VLAN ID information relating to a plurality of VLANs, and the sending of the at least one second discovery messages further comprises sending at least two messages, each of the messages including a VLAN ID associated with a respective one of the plurality of VLANs.

19. A device in accordance with claim 18, the device comprising a digital phone.

20. A device in accordance with claim 18 wherein each of the first and second discovery messages comprise a DISCOVER request in accordance with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), the first and second data messages comprise an OFFER request in accordance with DHCP.