Configuring a host using configuration parameters of another host

• US 8,359,380 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat Israel Ltd. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat Israel Ltd. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Heim, Itamar
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US12/551,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709223-224, 709/250
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques for automatic network discovery for host configurations are described herein. A management server may receive a first message from a first host entering a network, where the first message includes a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host. In response to the first message, the management server may automatically configure the NIC of the first host using one or more network configuration parameters of a second host based on the first message, where the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the first host.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a management server, a first message from a first host entering a network, the first message including a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host;

identifying, by the management server, a second host associated with the logical network coupled to the NIC of the first host using the network ID identifying the logical network, wherein the second host has been associated with the logical network prior to the first host;

identifying, by the management server, one or more network configuration parameters of a NIC of the second host, wherein the NIC of the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the NIC of the first host; and

configuring, by the management server, the NIC of the first host using the one or more network configuration parameters of the NIC of the second host.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to sending the first message by the first host, the second host periodically broadcasting a second message in the logical network, the second message including the network identifier that identifies the logical network; and

the first host listening and capturing the second message from the second host over the logical network, wherein the first message is sent by the first host based on the captured second message.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising retrieving the one or more network configuration parameters associated with the second host from a database storing network configuration parameters for a plurality of hosts coupled to the network.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first message further includes a cluster ID identifying a network cluster of which the second host is a member.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message includes an IP address and a subnet mask associated with the first host, and wherein the second host is coupled to an identical subnet and identified based on the IP address and the subnet mask.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the second host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to one or more logical networks, and wherein for each of the NICs, the second host is configured to broadcast a message via a respective NIC in a logical network associated with each NIC.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to a specific logical network, and wherein for each of the NICs, the first host is configured to listen and capture a message broadcast from an existing host coupled to the same logical network to obtain at least a network identifier of the same logical network.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, by a management server, a first message from a first host entering a network, the first message including a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host;

identifying, by the management server, a second host associated with the logical network coupled to the NIC of the first host using the network ID identifying the logical network, wherein the second host has been associated with the logical network prior to the first host;

identifying, by the management server, one or more network configuration parameters of a NIC of the second host, wherein the NIC of the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the NIC of the first host; and

configuring, by the management server, the NIC of the first host using the one or more network configuration parameters of the NIC of the second host.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

prior to sending the first message by the first host, the second host periodically broadcasting a second message in the logical network, the second message including the network identifier that identifies the logical network; and

the first host listening and capturing the second message from the second host over the logical network, wherein the first message is sent by the first host based on the captured second message.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises retrieving the one or more network configuration parameters associated with the second host from a database storing network configuration parameters for a plurality of hosts coupled to the network.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first message further includes a cluster ID identifying a network cluster of which the second host is a member.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first message includes an IP address and a subnet mask associated with the first host, and wherein the second host is coupled to an identical subnet and identified based on the IP address and the subnet mask.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to a specific logical network, and wherein for each of the NICs, the second host is configured to broadcast a message via a respective NIC in a logical network associated with each NIC.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the first host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to a specific logical network, and wherein for each of the NICs, the first host is configured to listen and capture a message broadcast from an existing host coupled to the same logical network to obtain at least a network identifier of the same logical network.

15. A system, comprising:

a network detection unit to receive a first message from a first host entering a network, the first message including a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host; and

a network configuration unit to identify a second host associated with the logical network coupled to the NIC of the first host using the network ID identifying the logical network, wherein the second host has been associated with the logical network prior to the first host, to identify one or more network configuration parameters of a NIC of a second host, wherein the NIC of the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the NIC of the first host, and to automatically configure the NIC of the first host using the one or more network configuration parameters of the NIC of the second host.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein prior to sending the first message by the first host, the second host is configured to periodically broadcast a second message in the logical network, the second message including the network identifier that identifies the logical network, wherein the first host is configured to listen and capture the second message from the second host over the logical network, and wherein the first message is sent by the first host based on the captured second message.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the network configuration unit is configured to retrieve the one or more network configuration parameters associated with the second host from a database storing network configuration parameters for a plurality of hosts coupled to the network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first message further includes a cluster ID identifying a network cluster of which the second host is a member.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first message includes an IP address and a subnet mask associated with the first host, and wherein the second host is coupled to an identical subnet and identified based on the IP address and the subnet mask.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the second host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to a specific logical network, and wherein for each of the NICs, the second host is configured to broadcast a message via a respective NIC in a logical network associated with each NIC.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the first host comprises a plurality of NICs, each being coupled to a specific logical network, and wherein for each of the NICs, the first host is configured to listen and capture a message broadcast from an existing host coupled to the same logical network to obtain at least a network identifier of the same logical network.