Network adapter optical alert system
First Claim
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1. A network adapter comprising:
- a media access controller (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) circuitry comprising one or more ports, the MAC and PHY circuitry configured to establish a communications link with a network;
status logic configured to determine whether at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational;
optical communication logic to at least one of receive and/or acquire a local alert and generate a local alert message related to the local alert; and
at least one light emitting diode (LED) to convert the local alert message to a corresponding optical local alert message and to transmit the optical local alert message to an optical communication path;
wherein the status logic is configured to provide said local alert to the optical communication logic when it determines that at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational.
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Abstract
One embodiment provides a network adapter. The network adapter includes a network adapter controller, a medium access controller (MAC) and a physical layer (PHY) including at least one port. The network adapter further includes optical communication logic to at least one of receive and/or acquire a local alert and generate a local alert message related to the local alert, the local alert message including an alert identifier (ID) and a network adapter ID. The network adapter further includes a first light emitting diode (LED) to convert the local alert message to a corresponding optical local alert message and to transmit the optical local alert message to an optical communication path.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A network adapter comprising:
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a media access controller (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) circuitry comprising one or more ports, the MAC and PHY circuitry configured to establish a communications link with a network; status logic configured to determine whether at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational; optical communication logic to at least one of receive and/or acquire a local alert and generate a local alert message related to the local alert; and at least one light emitting diode (LED) to convert the local alert message to a corresponding optical local alert message and to transmit the optical local alert message to an optical communication path; wherein the status logic is configured to provide said local alert to the optical communication logic when it determines that at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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with status logic of a first network adaptor comprising a media access controller (MAC), physical layer (PHY) circuitry comprising one or more ports, and a first light emitting diode (LED), the MAC and PHY circuitry configured to establish a communications link with a network, determining an operational status of at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link; generating, with said status logic, a local alert when said determining indicates that at least one said MAC, said PHy circuitry, or said communications link is not operational; providing said local alert to optical communications logic of said first network adaptor; generating, with said optical communication logic a local alert message related to the local alert; converting, by the first LED, the local alert message to a corresponding optical local alert message; and transmitting, by the first LED, the optical local alert message to an optical communication path. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a first network adapter comprising; a network adapter controller, a medium access controller (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) circuitry comprising at least one port, the MAC and PHY circuitry configured to establish a communications link with a network; status logic configured to determine whether at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational; optical communication logic to at least one of receive and/or acquire a local alert and generate a local alert message related to the local alert; and a first light emitting diode (LED) to convert the local alert message to a corresponding optical local alert message; and a receiver device; wherein; the status logic is configured to provide said local alert to the optical communication logic when it determines that at least one of the MAC, the PHY circuitry, or the communications link is not operational; the first LED is configured to transmit the optical local alert message to the receiver device via an optical communication path, the receiver device is configured, in response to receipt of the optical local alert message, to transmit an electrical alert message related to the optical local alert message to a system management device via the network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24)
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23. The system of example 22, wherein each other network adapter is coupled to the receiver device by a respective other optical communication path.
Specification