Inter-networking devices for use with physical layer information

• US 9,667,566 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raza, Mohammad H., Coffey, Joseph C., Coburn, Hutch, Anderson, John P., Stone, David, Day, Michael, Patel, Kamlesh G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/614,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20150146739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6658 on printed circuit board H01R13/6666 - H01R13/6691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/64 for high frequency, e.g. RJ 45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/24 using dedicated network management hardware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/15 Interconnection of switching modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment is directed to an inter-networking device that performs at least one inter-networking function using physical layer information about the network of which the device is a part. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to capturing physical layer information about physical communication media that is attached to an inter-networking device. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a technique for generating a spanning tree and/or forwarding database information for a plurality of switches in a network at a central location. The spanning tree and/or forwarding database information is generated at the central location using information including physical layer information about devices and physical communication media in the network. Another exemplary embodiment is directed to an ETHERNET physical layer device having integrated support for capturing physical layer information about the physical communication media connected to the ETHERNET physical layer device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up a network;

a central bridge function configured to receive physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine a spanning tree for the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches;

wherein the switches are configured to use the information about the spanning tree determined by the central bridge function to configure the switch to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central bridge function is implemented in a network management system for the network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of switches uses a respective forwarding database to carry out the bridging function at the respective switch;

wherein the central bridge function is further configured to determine how the forwarding database in each switch should be configured;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate, to each switch, information indicating how the forwarding database in that respective switch should be configured; and

wherein each switch configures the respective forwarding database for that respective switch as indicated by the information communicated to that switch by the central bridge function.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the switches comprises an ETHERNET Layer 2 bridging device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the central bridge function is configured to obtain information about the MAC addresses of devices on the network from a network management system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

7. A system comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up a network;

a central bridge function configured to receive physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine a spanning tree for the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches;

wherein the switches are configured to use the information about the spanning tree determined by the central bridge function to configure the switch to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

9. A system comprising:

a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up a network;

a central bridge function configured to receive physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine a spanning tree for the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches;

wherein the switches are configured to use the information about the spanning tree determined by the central bridge function to configure the switch to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

11. A switch comprising:

a plurality of ports; and

functionality configured to receive information about a spanning tree generated by a central bridge function;

wherein the switch is configured to perform a bridging function based on the information about the spanning tree generated by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to generate a spanning tree for the network using physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch.

12. The switch of claim 11, wherein the central bridge function is implemented in a network management system for the network.

13. The switch of claim 11, wherein the switch uses a forwarding database to carry out the bridging function at the switch;

wherein the central bridge function is further configured to determine how the forwarding database in the switch should be configured;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to communicate to the switch, information indicating how the forwarding database should be configured; and

wherein the switch configures the forwarding database as indicated by the information communicated that respective switch by the central bridge function.

14. The switch of claim 11, wherein the switch comprises an ETHERNET Layer 2 bridging device.

15. The switch of claim 11, wherein the central bridge function is configured to obtain information about the MAC addresses of devices on the network from a network management system.

16. The switch of claim 11, wherein the central bridge function is a part of a network management system.

17. The switch of claim 11, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

18. A switch comprising:

a plurality of ports; and

functionality configured to receive information about a spanning tree generated by a central bridge function;

wherein the switch is configured to perform a bridging function based on the information about the spanning tree generated by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to generate a spanning tree for the network using physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch.

19. The switch of claim 18, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

20. A switch comprising:

a plurality of ports; and

functionality configured to receive information about a spanning tree generated by a central bridge function;

wherein the switch is configured to perform a bridging function based on the information about the spanning tree generated by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to generate a spanning tree for the network using physical layer information related to the network, the physical layer information including information associating media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of the switch;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switch.

21. The switch of claim 20, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

22. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining, at a central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

25. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein the aggregation point obtains physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information about connector assemblies in the network and end devices in the network in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining, at the central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

28. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining, at a central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

30. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining, at a central bridge function, a spanning tree for the network;

communicating information about the spanning tree to the plurality of switches; and

configuring the plurality of switches to use the information about the spanning tree to carry out a bridging function performed by the plurality of switches;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

32. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein at least some of the devices on the network are configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the devices and physical communication media coupled to the devices; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.

34. A method comprising:

receiving physical layer information related to a network at a central bridge function;

associating, at a central bridge function, media access control (MAC) addresses of devices on the network with ports of a plurality of switches coupled to one another via a plurality of network segments that make up the network;

determining at the central bridge function, for each of the plurality of switches, how a respective forwarding database in the respective switch should be configured;

communicating from the central bridge function to each of the plurality of switches information indicating how the respective forwarding database should be configured; and

configuring the forwarding database in each of the plurality of switches as indicated by the information communicated the respective switch by the central bridge function;

wherein the central bridge function is configured to receive at least some of the physical layer information about the network from an aggregation point;

wherein a connector assembly included in the network is configured to automatically communicate, to the aggregation point, physical layer information about at least one of the connector assembly and physical communication media coupled to the connector assembly; and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to use at least some of the physical layer information communicated to the aggregation point in associating MAC addresses of devices on the network with the ports of the switches.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein at least some of the physical layer information comprises information read from a storage device associated with a connector attached to a cable used to implement at least one communication link in the network;

and

wherein the central bridge function is configured to determine the spanning tree for the network using the information read from the storage device associated with a connector attached to the cable used to implement the at least one communication link in the network.