System and method for interfacing with a component located in a network environment
First Claim
1. An apparatus, comprising:
- a first component comprising at least hardware, the first component operable to;
automatically identify a second component by reading a device model identifier from the second component upon having a connection established with the second component, the second component comprising hardware;
retrieve information associated with the second component from a device database, the information associated with the second component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices;
determine whether the second component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier;
if the second component is a modular device having the customizable configuration;
learn interface card information from the second component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and
look up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards;
learn operating system information of an operating system of the second component;
determine if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a function selected by the user of the first component;
if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the function selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the function; and
if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the function selected by the user, initiating an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function.
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Abstract
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a user in a network environment can connect to a device on the network and automatically learn at least one detail regarding the device software image details. Examples of the software image details may include software version number, size in bytes, device model/family name, software filename, interface hardware details, and supported software feature set such as Internet Protocol (IP), Internet Packet Exchange (IPX), and AppleTalk. Additionally, an embodiment of the present invention may determine if the software image version or feature set is supported by a product which the user desires to use, suggest an upgrade to an appropriate software version or feature set to accommodate the product if the current version is not supported by the product, and automatically upgrade the software if the user approves of such action.
56 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first component comprising at least hardware, the first component operable to; automatically identify a second component by reading a device model identifier from the second component upon having a connection established with the second component, the second component comprising hardware; retrieve information associated with the second component from a device database, the information associated with the second component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determine whether the second component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the second component is a modular device having the customizable configuration; learn interface card information from the second component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and look up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learn operating system information of an operating system of the second component; determine if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a function selected by the user of the first component; if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the function selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the function; and if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the function selected by the user, initiating an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for interfacing in a network environment, comprising:
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automatically identifying, by a device comprising hardware, a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between the device and the component; retrieving information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determining whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the component is a modular device; learning interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and looking up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learning operating system information of an operating system of the component; identifying if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting a function selected by the user; if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting the function selected by the user, initiating an upgrade of existing software for the component; and if the component includes software that is capable of supporting the function selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the function. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for interfacing in a network environment, comprising:
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means for automatically identifying, by a device comprising hardware, a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between the device and the component; means for retrieving information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; means for determining whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; means for, if the component is a modular device; learning interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and looking up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; means for learning operating system information of an operating system of the component; means for identifying if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting a function selected by the user; if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting the function selected by the user, means for initiating an upgrade of existing software for the component; and if the component includes software that is capable of supporting the function selected by the user, means for displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the function. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software for interfacing in a network environment, the software when executed is operable to:
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automatically identify a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between a device and the component; retrieve information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determine whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the component is a modular device; learn interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and look up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learn operating system information of an operating system of the component; identify if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting a function selected by the user; if the component includes software that is incapable of supporting the function selected by the user, initiate an upgrade of existing software for the component; and if the component includes software that is capable of supporting the function selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the function. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus, comprising:
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a first component comprising at least hardware, the first component operable to; automatically identify a second component by reading a device model identifier from the second component upon having a connection established with the second component, the second component comprising hardware; retrieve information associated with the second component from a device database, the information associated with the second component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determine whether the second component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the second component is a modular device having the customizable configuration; learn interface card information from the second component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and look up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learn operating system information of an operating system of the second component; determine if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a product selected by the user; if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the product selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the product; and if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the product selected by the user, initiating an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function.
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24. A method for interfacing in a network environment, comprising:
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automatically identifying, by a device comprising hardware, a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between the device and the component; retrieving information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determining whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the component is a modular device; learning interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and looking up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learning operating system information of an operating system of the component; determining if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a product selected by the user; if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the product selected by the user, display an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the product; and if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the product selected by the user, initiate an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function.
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25. A system for interfacing in a network environment, comprising:
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means for automatically identifying, by a device comprising hardware, a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between the device and the component; means for retrieving information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; means for determining whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; means for, if the component is a modular device; learning interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and looking up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; means for learning operating system information of an operating system of the component; means for determining if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a product selected by the user; if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the product selected by the user, means for displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the product; and if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the product selected by the user, means for initiating an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function.
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26. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising software for interfacing in a network environment, the software when executed is operable to:
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automatically identify a component by reading a device model identifier from the component upon having a connection established between a device and the component; retrieve information associated with the component from a device database, the information associated with the component comprising network module information describing a plurality of modular devices; determine whether the component is a modular device according to the network module information and the device module identifier; if the component is a modular device; learn interface card information from the component, the interface card information describing an interface card; and look up the interface card in the device database storing information about a plurality of possible interface cards; learn operating system information of an operating system of the component; determine if the second component includes software that is capable of supporting a product selected by the user; if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is capable of supporting the product selected by the user, displaying an informational message to the user that conveys to the user that the second component is capable of supporting the product; and if the first component determines that the second component includes software that is incapable of supporting the product selected by the user, initiating an upgrade of existing software for the second component in order to provide the selected function.
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Specification