Network connectivity

• US 8,175,001 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lubeck, Mark, Kondapalli, Naveen, Kasaraneni, Jagadeesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US12/567,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/252, 370/419
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

A method for managing a computer or communication network by obtaining connectivity configuration information from a plurality of networked devices; analyzing the connectivity configuration information from the plurality of networked devices; and, determining a state of connectivity between any two of the plurality of networked devices.

Claims

1. A computerized method executable on a network device comprising:

obtaining device connectivity configuration information regarding connectivity of devices in a network;

wherein the device connectivity configuration information is obtained from information maintained by devices in the network and without sending a route request packet, and the device connectivity configuration information includes zoning information about the network; and

computing, based on the device connectivity configuration information attributed to one or more possible paths between a first network resource in the network and a second network resource in the network, whether one or more network connectivity conditions are fulfilled for the one or more possible paths between the two network resources.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a port of the first network resource for accessing the first network resource from the second network resource is defined.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a port of the first network resource is connected with a port of the second network resource within a network.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates that the defined port of the first network resource is connected with a port of the second network resource within the network if the port of the first network resource is connected via wireless and/or wired connections with the port of the second network resource.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether the first network resource is configured to allow communication with the second network resource.

6. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether an active zone exists to communicatively connect a port of the first network resource with a port of the second network resource.

7. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a storage manager of the second network resource has an in-band view of the first network resource.

8. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the first network resource is a LUN.

9. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the second network resource is a host.

10. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the second network resource is an application of a host.

11. A network device comprising:

a processor configured to obtain device configuration information regarding connectivity of devices in a network and to compute, based on the device connectivity configuration information attributed to one or more possible paths between a first network resource in the network and a second network resource in the network, whether one or more network connectivity conditions are fulfilled for the one or more possible paths between the two network resources;

wherein the device configuration information is obtained from information maintained by devices in the network and without sending a route request packet, and the device connectivity information includes zoning information about the network.

12. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a port of the first network resource for accessing the first network resource from the second network resource is defined.

13. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a port of the first network resource is connected with a port of the second network resource within a network.

14. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates that port of the first network resource is connected with a port of the second network resource within the network if the port of the first network resource is connected via wireless and/or wired connections with the port of the second network resource.

15. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether the first network resource is configured to allow communication with the second network resource.

16. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether an active zone exists to communicatively connect a port of the first network resource with a port of the second network resource.

17. The network device of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more network connectivity conditions indicates whether a storage manager of the second network resource has an in-band view of the first network resource.

18. The network device of claim 11 wherein the first network resource is a LUN.

19. The network device of claim 11 wherein the second network resource is a host.

20. The network device of claim 11 wherein the second network resource is an application of a host.