Discovery of network devices

• US 8,208,386 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2007
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Fowler, Jeffery L., Tassinari, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENSAH, PRINCE AKWASI
• Application Number:
  US11/714,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219184A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 370/207, 370/254, 370/274, 370/279, 370/293, 370/315, 370/335, 370/389, 370/395.63, 370/401, 370464-481, 370/492, 370/501, 370216-228, 370241-253, 370/351, 370/357, 370/400, 439/315, 439488-491, 439/910, 709201-203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 714/2, 714/4, 714/25, 714/32, 714 44- 46, 714/716, 714/724
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Network devices, systems, and methods are described for visually identifying physically linked network devices. One network device includes a memory in connected to a processor. A network chip on the device is connected to the processor and the memory. The network chip includes logic and a number of ports. A first location indicator is associated with the network device. A physical link is established between one of the number of ports on the network device and a port on a different network device. Computer executable instructions are stored in the memory and executable by the processor to send a locate signal to visually identify the different network device.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a network chip, connected to the processor and the memory, the network chip including logic and a number of ports;

a first device location indicator connected to the processor and the memory and visually identifying the network device in response to a locate signal;

a first port location indicator associated with a first port of the number of ports on the network chip and visually identifying the first port in response to the locate signal;

a physical link between the first port on the network device and a port on a different network device; and

computer executable instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor to send the locate signal via the physical link to visually identify the different network device.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the port on the different network device is included among a number of ports on a network chip of the different network device, the different network device having access to processor and memory resources.

3. The network device of claim 2, wherein the network device is a first network switch and the different network device is a second network switch.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein the second network switch includes a second location indicator associated with the second network switch, and wherein the locate signal visually identifies the second network switch.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the physical link extends from a first port on the first network switch to a second port on the second network switch, and wherein the locate signal is sent via the physical link.

6. The network device of claim 4, wherein the first location indicator and the second location indicator are light emitting diodes.

7. The network device of claim 3, wherein the first network switch includes the first port location indicator and the second network switch includes a second port location indicator.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein the first and second port location indicators of the first and the second network switches are light emitting diodes.

9. A network system including a number of network devices, comprising:

a first network device physically linked to a second network device, where the first network device and the second network device each include;

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor;

a network chip, connected to the processor and the memory, the network chip including logic and a number of ports;

a first device location indicator connected to the processor and memory on the first network device and visually identifying the first network device in response to a locate signal;

a first port location indicator associated with a first port of the number of ports in the first network device and visually identifying the first port in response to the locate signal;

a second device location indicator connected to the processor and memory on the second network device and visually identifying the second network device;

a second port location indicator associated with a second port of the number of ports in the second network device and visually identifying the second port;

a physical link between the first port on the first network device and the second port on the second network device; and

computer executable instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor on the first network device to send the locate signal from the first network device to the second network device to cause the second device location indicator and the second port location indicator on the second network device to illuminate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first network device and second network device include a plurality of port location indicators.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the locate signal causes the first and second device location indicators on the first and second network devices to illuminate.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the locate signal causes the first port location indicator on the first network device to illuminate.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the locate signal causes the first device location indicator and the first port location indicator to illuminate for a user configurable time duration.

14. The system of claim 9, further including a command line interface (CLI) associated with the first network device and wherein the locate signal returns second network device configuration parameters to the CLI.

15. A computer readable storage device having executable instructions which can be executed by a processor to cause a network device to perform a method, comprising:

associating a first device location indicator with a first network device for visually identifying the first network device;

associating a first port location indicator with a first port on the first network device for visually identifying the first port;

associating a second device location indicator with a second network device for visually identifying the second network device, wherein the second network device is physically linked to the first network device at the first port;

using a locate signal to activate the first device location indicator and the first port location indicator;

sending the location signal from the first network device to the second network device via the physical link to activate the second location indicator.

16. The storage device of claim 15, wherein the first network device receives the locate signal from a user via a user interface.

17. The storage device of claim 16, wherein the method includes:

associating a second port indicator with a second port on the second network device, wherein the locate signal activates the second port indicator.

18. The storage device of claim 16, wherein the method includes returning second network device configuration parameters to a command line interface associated with the first network device.

19. The storage device of claim 15, wherein sending the location signal includes sending a locate packet signal in accordance with a Data Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP).

20. The storage device of claim 19, wherein the method includes specifying a type, length, and value entry in association with the locate packet signal.