Diskless PC network communication agent system

• US 8,655,978 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jade Quantum Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jade Quantum Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Huang, Chia Hsin
• Primary Examiner(s): Field, Lynn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cox, Natisha
• Application Number:
  US13/175,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 709/222
• US Class Current: 709/216
• 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 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A diskless PC network communication agent system includes a host, a network communication agent, a physical network connecting the network communication agent to the host, and diskless PCs connected to the network communication agent. The network communication agent has network packet filtering and transferring functions so that a virtual private network is established between the network communication agent and the diskless PCs for enabling each diskless PC to use a preboot execution environment communication protocol to catch dynamic host configuration protocol information, to start up network bootstrap, and to request the host for the services of remote installation, boot and access to virtual disk.

Claims

1. A diskless PC network communication agent system, comprising:

a host;

at least one network communication agent;

a physical network connecting each said network communication agent to said host; and

at least one diskless personal computer (PC) connected to said at least one network communication agent;

wherein each said network communication agent has network packet filtering and transferring functions so that a virtual private network (VPN) is established between said at least one network communication agent and said at least one diskless PC for enabling each said diskless PC to use a preboot execution environment (PXE) communication protocol to catch dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) information, to start up network booting, and to request the host for services comprising remote installation, boot, and access to virtual disks;

wherein each network communication agent comprises;

a multi-interface switch adapted for connecting said at least one diskless PC to said physical network for data exchange with said host and for allowing establishment of a virtual private network between the respective network communication agent and said at least one diskless PC, each multi-interface switch comprising;

a primary interface adapted for connecting to said at least one diskless PC and handling exchanging data between said primary interface and said at least one diskless PC and exchanging data between said at least one diskless PC and another diskless PC;

a secondary interface adapted for connecting to said physical network and handling exchanging data between said physical network and said host; and

a packet filter adapted for analyzing and filtering network packets to discriminate virtual private network packets from physical network packets;

a DHCP server adapted for handling and responding to DHCP requests provided by said at least one diskless PC; and

a protocol translator adapted for translating communication protocol packets between said at least one diskless PC and said host.

2. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said network communication agent comprises a cache adapted for storing data blocks processed by said protocol translator in a memory space for data access by said at least one diskless PC.

3. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

when said primary interface of said network communication agent receives a network packet from one of said diskless PCs, the diskless PC network communication agent system is configured to perform the following processing steps comprising;

step A;

handing the network packet to said packet filter for analysis, enabling said packet filter to determine if the network packet is a DHCP network, and then proceeding to step B when the network packet is determined to be a DHCP network packet;

step B;

handing the network packet to said DHCP server, and providing DHCP parameters set by a manager and required for said diskless PC for remote booting by means of the PXE processing technique to said at least one diskless PC through said primary interface, and then proceeding to step C; and

step C;

processing steps for the network packet are completed.

4. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 3, wherein when the network packet is determined not a DHCP network packet, the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to step D, wherein,

in step D said packet filter determines if the network packet is a communication protocol packet for access to said host, and then the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to step E, wherein:

in a step E the diskless PC network communication agent system hands the network packet to said protocol translator for processing, and then said protocol translator determines if said at least one diskless PC and said host use or not use the same communication protocol, and then, the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to step F when said at least one diskless PC and said host use the same communication protocol;

wherein in a step F said protocol translator determines if the network packet contains a data block required for the respective diskless PC to perform disk access, and then said protocol translator proceeds to step G when the network packet contains a data block required for the respective diskless PC to perform disk access;

wherein in a step G said protocol translator hands the data block of the network packet, the related disk address, data length and, a version number to said cache for registration, and then proceeds to step H; and

wherein in a step H said cache hands the network packet to said secondary interface for delivery, and then the system performs step C.

5. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the network packet is not a communication protocol packet for access to said host during step D, said packet filter hands the network packet to said secondary interface for delivery to an external network, and then performs step C.

6. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said protocol translator converts the network packet into a communication protocol communicable to the respective diskless PC and said host when the respective diskless PC and said host use different communication protocols during step E, and then proceeds to step F.

7. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said protocol translator proceeds to step H when the network packet does not contain therein a data block required for the respective diskless PC to perform disk access during step F.

8. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said network communication agent further comprises a cache adapted for storing data blocks processed by said protocol translator in a memory space for data access by said at least one diskless PC;

wherein when said secondary interface of said network communication agent receives a network packet from an external network, the diskless PC network communication agent system is configured to perform the following processing steps comprising;

step A;

hand the network packet to said packet filter for analysis, enabling said packet filter to determine a destination of the network packet, and then to proceed to step B when the destination of the network packet is not one said diskless PC;

wherein in a step B the network packet is handed to said secondary interface for delivery to the external network and then step C is performed; and

wherein in a step C the processing steps for the network packet are completed.

9. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the diskless PC network communication agent system is further configured to perform the following steps:

step D;

said network filter determines a source of the external network packet, and then proceeds to step E when the external network packet is a packet from said host;

step E;

said network filter hands the external network packet to said protocol translator for analyzing the communication protocol, and then the diskless PC network communication agent system proceeds to step F when the respective diskless PC and said host use the same communication protocol;

wherein in step F said protocol translator determines contents of the external network packet, and then proceeds to step G when the external network packet has a data block required for the respective diskless PC to perform disk access;

wherein in a step G said protocol translator hands the data block of the external network packet, the related disk address, data length, and a version number to said cache for registration, and then proceeds to step H; and

wherein in a step H said cache hands the external network packet to said primary interface for delivery to the respective diskless PC, and then the system performs step C.

10. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said network filter proceeds to step H when the external network packet is not a packet from said host during step D.

11. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said protocol translator converts the external network packet into a communication protocol communicable to the respective diskless PC and said host when the respective diskless PC and said host use different communication protocols during step E, and then proceeds to step F.

12. The diskless PC network communication agent system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said protocol translator proceeds to step H when the external network packet contains no data block required for the respective diskless to perform disk access during step F.