System and method to discover and configure remotely located network devices
First Claim
1. A method to permit discovery and configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:
- monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;
when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;
when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and
unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
To permit discovery and configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client element of a local network device, the client sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet. The server element may monitor packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet. When the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, the server element may validate the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value, and may perform an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet. The server element may also unicast a discovery protocol reply packet to the client indicating a response to the requested action. When the discovery protocol request packet is valid, the method determines whether the action requested is a query request, a configuration request, or a remote reboot request based on a message type portion of the header of the discovery protocol request packet. In one embodiment, the discovery protocol reply packet unicasted to the client may indicate the information requested by the query request, whether a configuration was performed in accordance with the configuration request, or whether the server element agrees to reboot in accordance with the remote reboot request.
117 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method to permit discovery and configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:
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monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;
when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;
when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and
unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15)
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12. The method of claim 111 wherein the current configuration information includes at least one of a MAC address, an IP address, a gateway address, a domain name, hardware information or software information of the server element.
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16. A network device to operate a discovery protocol server element comprising:
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a network interface to communicate packets with a network; and
a processing element to configure a discovery protocol port of the network device and monitor packets received at the configured discovery protocol port for a discovery protocol request packet, wherein when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, the processing element to validate the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value, and perform an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet, the network interface to transmit a unicast discovery protocol reply packet to a client device indicating a response to the requested action. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An article comprising a storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing platform, result in:
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monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of a server for a discovery protocol request packet;
when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;
when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and
unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of determining configuration of a remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:
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monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;
when the discovery protocol request packet is valid, performing an action requested by the discovery protocol request packet; and
unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action; and
validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing the MAC address identified in the discovery protocol request packet with a predetermined broadcast address, wherein the server element initially registers with a gateway to permit receipt of multicast packets in accordance with a discovery protocol, the multicast packets having a predetermined multicast address and indicating predetermined UDP port number, and the server element binds with a UDP port of a network device for receipt of multicast packets in accordance with the discovery protocol. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A method of configuring of a misconfigured remotely located network server element by a client device, wherein the client device sends a multicast discovery protocol request packet, the method comprising:
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monitoring packets received at a pre-configured discovery protocol port of the server for the discovery protocol request packet;
when the discovery protocol request packet is received at the discovery protocol port, validating the discovery protocol request packet by comparing a portion of a header with a predetermined value;
validating configuration information received in the discovery protocol request packet as valid configuration settings;
configuring the server element in accordance with the configuration information when valid;
generating the discovery protocol reply packet to indicate whether configuring the server element was performed; and
unicasting a discovery protocol reply packet to the client device indicating a response to the requested action, wherein the configuration information includes at least one of an IP address, subnet mask or gateway address. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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Specification