Automatic configuration of network for monitoring

• US 8,031,625 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Moyer, Paul D., Knop, Felipe
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou; Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US12/045,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20080298267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 370/252, 370/254, 370/409, 370/390, 370/400, 370/408, 370/432, 370/463, 370/476, 709/238, 709/242, 709/249, 709/224, 709/228, 709/245, 709/250
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A system, method and computer readable medium are provided for configuring network interfaces grouped into nodes for monitoring functionality. According to the method, a base address and subnet mask for the network interfaces are received, and a monitoring address is automatically generated for each of the network interfaces based on the base address, the subnet mask, and the nodes. The monitoring addresses is generated such that the monitoring address for each of the network interfaces is on a different subnet than the monitoring addresses for all of the other network interfaces in the same node as that network interface. Additionally, the monitoring addresses are assigned to the network interfaces for use by the monitoring process, with each of the monitoring addresses being assigned by being added as an additional network interface address of its network interface. Also provided is a method for monitoring functionality of network interfaces and providing fault recovery.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a plurality of network interfaces for monitoring functionality of the network interfaces with a monitoring process, the network interfaces being grouped into a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a base address and subnet mask for the plurality of network interfaces;

automatically generating a monitoring address for each of the network interfaces based on the base address, the subnet mask, and the nodes, the monitoring addresses being generated such that the monitoring address for each of the network interfaces is on a different subnet than the monitoring addresses for all of the other network interfaces in the same node as that network interface, and the monitoring address being offset from the base address; and

assigning the monitoring addresses to the network interfaces for use by the monitoring process, each of the monitoring addresses being assigned by being added as an additional network interface address of its network interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step includes the sub-step of receiving a base address and subnet mask for the plurality of network interfaces from a user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a monitoring message to each of the monitoring addresses in order to determine connectivity of each of the network interfaces.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the assigning step, each of the monitoring addresses is assigned using IP aliasing by being added as an alias IP address of its network interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically generating step includes the sub-step of generating the monitoring address for the first network interface in each node by adding the base address to a node index for that node.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer instructions for configuring a plurality of network interfaces for monitoring functionality of the network interfaces with a monitoring process, the network interfaces being grouped into a plurality of nodes, the computer instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving a base address and subnet mask for the plurality of network interfaces;

automatically generating a monitoring address for each of the network interfaces based on the base address, the subnet mask, and the nodes, the monitoring addresses being generated such that the monitoring address for each of the network interfaces is on a different subnet than the monitoring addresses for all of the other network interfaces in the same node as that network interface, and the monitoring address being offset from the base address; and

assigning the monitoring addresses to the network interfaces for use by the monitoring process, each of the monitoring addresses being assigned by being added as an additional network interface address of its network interface.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the receiving step includes the sub-step of receiving a base address and subnet mask for the plurality of network interfaces from a user.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the computer instructions further including instructions for performing the step of sending a monitoring message to each of the monitoring addresses in order to determine connectivity of each of the network interfaces.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein in the assigning step, each of the monitoring addresses is assigned using IP aliasing by being added as an alias IP address of its network interface.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the automatically generating step includes the sub-step of generating the monitoring address for the first network interface in each node by adding the base address to a node index for that node.

11. A system comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces grouped into nodes;

a monitoring unit for monitoring functionality of the network interfaces;

means for automatically generating a monitoring address for each of the network interfaces based on a base address, a subnet mask, and the nodes, the monitoring addresses being generated such that the monitoring address for each of the network interfaces is on a different subnet than the monitoring addresses for all of the other network interfaces in the same node as that network interface; and

means for assigning the monitoring addresses to the network interfaces for use by the monitoring unit, each of the monitoring addresses being assigned by being added as an additional network interface address of its network interface,

wherein the means for automatically generating generates the monitoring address for the first network interface in each node by adding the base address to a node index for that node,

the means for automatically generating generates the monitoring address for the second network interface in each node using the node index for that node in the formula;

((network ID+subnet increment)AND host ID)+node index,

the network ID and the host ID are based on the base address and the subnet mask, and

the subnet increment is based on the subnet mask.