Transceiver locking assembly

• US 9,104,897 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Lei, Tiernan, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, CHAU D
• Application Number:
  US13/757,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20140223585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 726 34- 35
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1639 Arrangements for locking plugged peripheral connectors

Abstract

A transceiver locking assembly includes at least one processor device, a network device, in a network environment, in communication with the least one processor device, a transceiver in communication with the network device; a transceiver port, coupled to the network device, defining a first slot opening in at least one of a variety of positions of the transceiver port and configured for selectively receiving the transceiver, and a dynamically controlled locking mechanism coupled to the transceiver port. The dynamically controlled locking mechanism is selectively positioned into the first slot opening to lock the transceiver into the network device or selectively removed away from the first slot opening to unlock the transceiver from the network device.

Claims

1. A transceiver locking assembly, comprising:

at least one processor device;

a network device, in a network environment, in communication with the least one processor device;

a transceiver in communication with the network device;

a transceiver port, coupled to the network device, defining a first slot opening in at least one of a plurality of positions of the transceiver port and configured for selectively receiving the transceiver; and

a dynamically controlled locking mechanism, controlled by the at least one processor device, and coupled to the transceiver port;

wherein, upon a command being issued to the network device, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is one of selectively positioned into the first slot opening to lock the transceiver into the network device and selectively removed away from the first slot opening to unlock the transceiver from the network device.

2. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 1, wherein the dynamically controlled locking mechanism performs one of:

preventing removal the transceiver until receipt of the command, and

preventing an insertion of the transceiver into the transceiver port by a remote command.

3. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 1, wherein the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is a solenoid.

4. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor device issues the command to the network device from one of a command line interface (CLI) and a graphical user interface (GUI).

5. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor device is configured for issuing the command from one of an administrator and a root user of the network device upon logging into the network environment.

6. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 5, wherein the transceiver port is set by one of the administrator and the root user of the network device to indicate the transceiver is one of locked and unlocked.

7. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 6, wherein, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is unlocked, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is removed from within the first slot opening and set in an unlocked position.

8. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 6, wherein, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is locked, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is inserted into the first slot opening and set in a locked position.

9. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 5, wherein the transceiver defines a second slot opening in at least one of a plurality of positions on the transceiver, wherein, upon the command being issued to the network device, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is one of selectively positioned into both the first slot opening and the second slot opening to lock the transceiver into the network device and selectively removed away from the first slot opening and the second slot opening to unlock the transceiver from the network device.

10. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 9, wherein, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is unlocked, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is removed from within both the first slot opening and the second slot opening and set in an unlocked position.

11. The transceiver locking assembly of claim 9, wherein, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the network port to indicate the transceiver is locked, the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is inserted into both the first slot opening and the second slot opening and set in a locked position.

12. A computer program product for locking a transceiver by a processor device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion that, upon a command being issued to a network device, performs one of;

selectively positioning a dynamically controlled locking mechanism into a first slot opening on a transceiver port to lock the transceiver into the network device, and

selectively removing a dynamically controlled locking mechanism away from the first slot opening on the transceiver port to unlock the transceiver from the network device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further including a second executable portion that performs one of:

preventing removal of the transceiver until receipt of the command, and

preventing an insertion of the transceiver into the transceiver port by a remote command.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the dynamically controlled locking mechanism is a solenoid.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, further including a second executable portion that issues the command to the network device from one of a command line interface (CLI) and a graphical user interface (GUI).

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein a second slot opening on the transceiver is defined, and further including a second executable portion that:

upon the command being issued to the network device;

selectively positions the dynamically controlled locking mechanism into the first slot opening on the transceiver port and the second slot opening on the transceiver to lock the transceiver into the network device, and

selectively removes the dynamically controlled locking mechanism away from the first slot opening on the transceiver port and the second slot opening on the transceiver to unlock the transceiver from the network device.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further including a third executable portion that issues the command from one of an administrator and a root user of the network device upon logging into the network environment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further including a fourth executable portion that sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is one of locked and unlocked by one of the administrator and the root user of the network device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further including, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is unlocked, a fifth executable portion that selectively removes the dynamically controlled locking mechanism away from the first slot opening on the transceiver port and the second slot opening on the transceiver and sets the dynamically controlled locking mechanism in an unlocked position.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, further including, if the one of the administrator and the root user of the network device sets the transceiver port to indicate the transceiver is locked, a fourth executable portion that:

inserts the dynamically controlled locking mechanism into the first slot opening on the transceiver port and the second slot opening on the transceiver to lock the transceiver into the network device and setting the dynamically controlled locking mechanism in a locked position.