Method and system for a network controller based pass-through communication mechanism between local host and management controller

• US 8,219,713 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shah, Hemal, Christensen, David, McDaniel, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US12/496,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0273 using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/34 Signalling channels for network management communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

A network controller in a communication device may be operable to route local host-management traffic between a local host and a management controller within the communication device, wherein the local host may be operable to utilize its network processing resources and function during communication of the local host-management traffic. A dedicated management port may be configured in the network controller to enable receiving and/or transmitting local host-management traffic communicated from and/or to the local host separate from the local host'"'"'s network traffic communicated via the network controller. The host-management traffic is communicated between the network controller and the management controller via NC-SI interface. The management controller may be assigned Internet protocol (IP) based addressing information for use during routing of local host-management traffic. The IP addressing information may be preset statically, assigned automatically from a list of available addresses, or configured dynamically via a DHCP server function.

Claims

1. A method for device management, the method comprising:

in a network device comprising a local host, a management controller and a network controller;

routing within said network device, local host-management traffic between said local host and said management controller via said network controller, wherein said local host is operable to communicate said local host-management traffic via said network controller utilizing network processing resources and functions within said local host; and

discovering, by said local host, availability of said routing of local host-management traffic via said network controller.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring a dedicated management port in a host interface in said network controller to enable reception and/or transmission of said local host-management traffic from and/or to said local host.

3. The method according to claim 2, comprising configuring a separate networking port in a host interface in said networking controller to enable receiving and/or transmitting networking traffic from and/or to said local host during use of said dedicated management port to route said local host-management traffic.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring Media Access Control (MAC) and/or Internet Protocol (IP) address routing information via said network controller to facilitate said routing of local host-management traffic between said local host and said management controller.

5. The method according to claim 4, comprising generating said MAC and/or IP address routing information statically and/or dynamically.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said dynamic IP addressing comprises use of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) based server function or automatically selecting one or more IP addresses from a predetermined list of private IP addresses.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising communicating said local host-management traffic between said network controller and said management controller via a Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) link.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising performing query messaging between said local host and said management controller during said discovery, wherein said query messaging is based on management interface supported via said network device;

said management interface comprising WS-Management and/or Remote Management and Control Protocol (RMCP) based messaging.

9. A system for device management, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a network device, said one or more circuits comprising a local host, a management controller and a network controller, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to;

route within said network device, local host-management traffic between said local host and said management controller via said network controller, wherein said local host is operable to communicate said local host-management traffic via said network controller utilizing network processing resources and functions within said local host; and

wherein said one or more circuits are operable to discover, by said local host, availability of said routing of local host-management traffic via said network controller.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a dedicated management port in a host interface in said network controller to enable reception and/or transmission of said local host-management traffic from and/or to said local host.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure a separate networking port in a host interface in said networking controller to enable receiving and/or transmitting networking traffic from and/or to said local host during use of said dedicated management port to route said local host-management traffic.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure Media Access Control (MAC) and/or Internet Protocol (IP) address routing information via said network controller to facilitate said routing of local host-management traffic between said local host and said management controller.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to generate said MAC and/or IP address routing information statically and/or dynamically.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said dynamic IP addressing comprises use of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) based server function or automatically selecting one or more IP addresses from a predetermined list of private IP addresses.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate said local host-management traffic between said network controller and said management controller via a Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) link.

16. The system according to claim 9, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to use query messaging between said local host and said management controller during said discovery, wherein said query messaging is based on management interface supported via said network device;

said management interface comprising WS-Management and/or Remote Management and Control Protocol (RMCP) based messaging.