Network path identification

• US 8,614,954 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• 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: McGee, Michael Sean, Madhi, Nambi, Chang, Darda M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Kibrom T
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAMONT, BENJAMIN S
• Application Number:
  US11/553,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20080101250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,616 Days
• Field of Search: 370241-2421, 370246-253
• US Class Current: 370/241.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/14 Monitoring arrangements for SDH/SONET rings H04J3/085
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13003 Constructional details of switching devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13399 Virtual channel/circuits

Abstract

A method is implemented in a network that comprises a plurality of ports and an indicator associated with each port. The method comprises forming a frame. The frame passes through the network. The frame causes indicators of multiple ports to illuminate to provide an indication of a path through the network Each of the ports remain illuminated for at least a period of time after the frame passes through each such port to enable a person to concurrently visualize all of the ports comprising the path.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a network comprising a plurality of ports, an indicator associated with each port, comprising:

forming a frame;

said frame passing through the ports in said network, wherein each port has its own corresponding indicator apart from indicators of all other ports; and

said frame causing an indicator of each port through which the packet frame passes to illuminate, wherein the illuminated indicators identify the frame'"'"'s path through the network;

wherein each indicator remains illuminated for at least a period of time after said frame passes through the corresponding port.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said frame causing said indicators to illuminate comprises causing indicators associated with all root ports to illuminate, each root port being a port of a network switch through which frames can be sent toward a root node.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing some or all active ports in said network to illuminate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing indicators of ports along a network path to a specified address to illuminate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing indicators on some or all ports in said network to illuminate that are registered for a specified multicast stream.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing at least some ports in a specified virtual local area network (VLAN) to be illuminated.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a reply frame that indicates status associated with the indicator.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising each of a plurality of switches receiving said frame, causing at least one indicator of said switch to illuminate and then forwarding the frame on to another of said plurality of switches which causes an indictor to illuminate.

9. A network, comprising:

a plurality of switches, each switch having a plurality of ports and a plurality of indicators, each port having a separate associated indicator, and at least one switch coupled to a server; and

wherein said switches receive a frame from a server, said frame being received by at least one switch, but not all switches, wherein the frame causes an indicator associated with a port through which the frame passes to illuminate to provide an indication of a path of the frame through said network, wherein not all indicators on the at least one switch that receives the frame are caused to be illuminated by the frame; and

wherein each of said indicators remains illuminated for at least a period of time after said frame passes through each associated port.

10. The network of claim 9 wherein said frame causes indicators associated with all root ports in said, network, to illuminate, each root port being a port of a switch through which frames can be sent toward a root node.

11. The network of claim 9 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing indicators of ports along a network path to a specified address to illuminate.

12. The network of claim 9 wherein said frame causing indicators to illuminate comprises causing indicators on all ports in said network to illuminate that are registered for a specified multicast stream.

13. The network of claim 9 wherein the frame specifies a blink rate for each indicator the frame causes to be illuminated.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing software that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

provide a plurality of selectable options to a user, wherein said selectable options comprise at least a first option to visually identify ports along a path through a network;

in response to user selection of said first option, forming a frame to be routed along said path through the network, said frame causing indicators of multiple ports to illuminate to provide a visual indication of said path through said network;

wherein some, but not all, indicators of ports are illuminated by the frame.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said options also comprise an option 1o visually identify root ports only in said network.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said options also comprise an option to visually identify all active ports in said network.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said options also comprise an option to visually identify all ports along a network path to a specified address.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said first option causes ports along said path through which said frame passes to illuminate.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein said software also permits a user to select a blink rate or color of visual indicators in said network to visually indicate said path.