System and method of configurating a network device

• US 20090031008A1
• Filed: 07/23/2007
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mote, Scott, Thomas, Blaine, Elliott, Shane Michael, Robertson, Ty, Winburn, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4517 using open systems interconnection [OSI] directories, e.g. X.500
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

In a particular illustrative embodiment, a method of configuring a network device is disclosed that includes determining network device information at a network device using a boot strapping protocol during an initial set-up process of the network device. The method further includes automatically modifying a configuration profile of the network device to connect to a network in a first device mode using the network device information. The method also includes receiving configuration information transmitted from a configuration server without requesting the configuration information. The configuration information includes routing information and configuration parameters particular to the network device. The method further includes automatically modifying the configuration profile of the network device to operate in a second device mode based on the configuration information. The first device mode is a non-operational mode and the second device mode is an operational mode.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a network device, the method comprising:

determining network device information at a network device using a boot strapping protocol during an initial set-up process of the network device;

automatically modifying a configuration profile of the network device to connect to a network in a first device mode using the network device information, wherein the first device mode comprises a non-operational mode;

receiving configuration information transmitted from a configuration server without requesting the configuration information, the configuration information including routing information and configuration parameters particular to the network device; and

automatically modifying the configuration profile of the network device to operate in a second device mode based on the configuration information, wherein the second device mode comprises an operational mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device routes media content within an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) access network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a message related to modifying the configuration profile to the configuration server, wherein the message indicates a status of the modification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device information comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the network device information further comprises a device name.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring media content packets received via the network when operating in the first device mode.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing media content packets received via the network when operating in the second device mode.

8. A system to configure network devices, the system comprising:

a network interface coupled to a network; and

processing logic coupled to the network interface, the processing logic adapted to;

determine one or more network devices to be configured;

dynamically assemble a configuration profile for each respective network device of the one or more network devices;

schedule configuration of the one or more network devices; and

transmit the configuration profile to each respective network device via the network based on the scheduled configuration.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing logic is adapted to verify installation of the configuration profile at each respective network device based on data received from each respective network device via the network.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a memory to store installation information.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing logic is adapted to compare results from the verified installations at each respective network device to a threshold and to generate an alert when at least one of the verified installations falls below the threshold.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising a graphical user interface module to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) including information related to network devices associated with the network and including information related to scheduled network device installation.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the GUI further comprises information indicating forecast data indicating expected completion of network device installation and configuration.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) module to assign an IP address to the one or more network devices.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing logic is adapted to provide a network management tool to manage workflow for installation of the one or more network devices.

16. The system of claim 8, further comprising a reporting module to calculate metrics related to the one or more network devices and to provide the calculated metrics to a graphical user interface generator.

17. A method of configuring network devices, the method comprising:

dynamically assembling a configuration profile for each respective network device of one or more network devices to be configured;

determining a schedule for configuration of the one or more network devices; and

transmitting the configuration profile to each respective network device via the network based on the schedule.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the one or more network devices to be configured.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the one or more network devices comprises:

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request from the one or more network devices;

dynamically assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to each of the one or more network devices; and

assembling a list of IP addresses for the one or more network devices, wherein

the list represents the one or more network devices to be configured.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the configuration profile is transmitted without receiving a request from the one or more network devices.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the one or more network devices comprises receiving a list of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, wherein the list of IP addresses represent the one or more network devices to be configured.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining network configuration information related to a network domain associated with each of the one or more network devices;

determining unique device configuration information associated with each network device of the one or more network devices; and

generating a configuration profile for each network device of the one or more network devices based on the network configuration information and the unique device configuration information.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving data related to a schedule input from a scheduling system, wherein the data identifies a date and time to initiate operation of at least one of the one or more network devices; and

storing the data in a memory;

wherein the data comprises a target date for configuring the at least one of the one or more network devices to route media content.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein transmitting the configuration profile comprises pushing the configuration profile to at least one of the one or more network devices based on an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the at least one of the one or more network devices.

26. The processor readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to generate a graphical user interface (GUI) including information related to the schedule.

27. The processor readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions executable by the processor to generate a graphical user interface including information related to the one or more network devices, other network elements, and network element circuits, wherein the information includes data related to installation problems.

25. A processor readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions executable by a processor to configure a network device, the plurality of instructions comprising instructions to:

determine one or more network devices to be configured;

dynamically generate a configuration profile for each respective network device of the one or more network devices;

determine a schedule for configuring the one or more network devices; and

transmit the configuration profile to each respective network device via the network based on the schedule.