System and method for installing and configuring software for a network element in an optical communications network
First Claim
1. In an optical network having a network element with a plurality of cards of different types, a method for installing and configuring software applications and device drivers in the network element, the method comprising:
- delivering a software load to a first card of the plurality of cards in the network element;
distributing, by the first card, a copy of the software load to at least two other cards of the plurality of cards in the network element, each distributed copy of the software load including a plurality of software applications for different types of cards, a hardware abstraction layer, and a plurality of device drivers for controlling different types of hardware devices; and
executing, by each of the at least two other cards in the network element, the copy of the software load distributed to that card, wherein the executing of the copy of the software load by each of the at least two other cards includes;
determining, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, a type of that card; and
linking, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, one of the software applications of the software load to at least one of the device drivers based on the type of that card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention features a system and method for installing and configuring a common software load in optical network elements. In brief overview, a configurable hardware abstraction layer (HAL) is interposed between the application software and the drivers in the common software load. With the use of a configurable HAL, network elements embodying the invention can use the same common software load for each type of card. Hence, an installer updating or originally configuring the cards in a plurality of network elements can accommodate all of the cards with the transmission of one software load. Instead of centrally tracking and organizing card specific software loads, the common software load in combination with the HAL manages the installation and upgrading process on the local card level.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. In an optical network having a network element with a plurality of cards of different types, a method for installing and configuring software applications and device drivers in the network element, the method comprising:
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delivering a software load to a first card of the plurality of cards in the network element; distributing, by the first card, a copy of the software load to at least two other cards of the plurality of cards in the network element, each distributed copy of the software load including a plurality of software applications for different types of cards, a hardware abstraction layer, and a plurality of device drivers for controlling different types of hardware devices; and executing, by each of the at least two other cards in the network element, the copy of the software load distributed to that card, wherein the executing of the copy of the software load by each of the at least two other cards includes; determining, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, a type of that card; and linking, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, one of the software applications of the software load to at least one of the device drivers based on the type of that card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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- 12. A network element, comprising a plurality of cards of different types, each card having at least one hardware device, a processor, and memory, a first card of the plurality of cards receiving a software load including a plurality of software applications for operating a plurality of different card types, a hardware abstraction layer, and a plurality of device drivers for controlling a plurality of different types of hardware devices, the first card distributing a copy of the software load to at least two other cards of the plurality of cards, each of the at least two other cards of the plurality of cards storing the copy of the software load in the memory of that card, the processor of each of the at least two other cards running the hardware abstraction layer of the copy of the software load stored on that card to link one of the software applications appropriate for that card to at least one of the device drivers for controlling the at least one hardware device of that card.
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16. A computer program product for use with a network element including a plurality of network cards of different types, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having embodied therein program code comprising:
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program code for receiving a software load at a first card of the plurality of cards in the network element; program code for distributing by the first card a copy of a software load to at least two other cards of the plurality of cards in the network element, each copy of the software load including a plurality of software applications, a hardware abstraction layer, and a plurality of device drivers for controlling different types of hardware devices, each software application when executed providing a functionality of a different type of card that can be installed in the network element; program cod on each card for controlling at least one hardware device on that card; and program code on each of the at least two other cards for executing the copy of the software load distributed to that card, wherein the program code for executing of the copy of the software load distributed to that card includes; program code for determining, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, a type of that card; and program code for linking, by the hardware abstraction layer of each card, one of the software applications on that card to the program code for controlling at least one hardware device based on the type of card as determined by the program code for determining a card type. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification