Acceleration of Software Modifications in Networked Devices

• US 20130339940A1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gopakumar, Manjusha, Goel, Ankit, Aphale, Abhijit
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality

Abstract

A method of modifying software associated with network devices includes transmitting a modification message by a first network device in response to software associated with the first network device being modified; transmitting second software identification information by a second network device in response to receiving the modification message from the first network device; providing a database comprising the first product identifier, the second product identifier, first software identification information, and the second software identification information; and modifying software associated with the second network device using the database. The first network device is associated with a first product identifier, and the second network device is associated with a second product identifier. The second software identification information identifies software associated with the second network device, and the first software identification information identifies software associated with the first network device. A corresponding computer-readable medium and system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of modifying software associated with network devices, the method comprising:

transmitting a modification message by a first network device in response to software associated with the first network device being modified, the first network device being associated with a first product identifier;

transmitting second software identification information by a second network device in response to receiving the modification message from the first network device, the second software identification information identifying software associated with the second network device, the second network device being associated with a second product identifier;

providing a database comprising the first product identifier, the second product identifier, first software identification information, and the second software identification information, the first software identification information identifying software associated with the first network device; and

modifying software associated with the second network device using the database.

2. The method defined by claim 1, wherein the first product identifier comprises at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the first product identifier, the second product identifier comprising at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the second product identifier.

3. The method defined by claim 1, wherein the first product identifier is the same as the second product identifier.

4. The method defined by claim 1, wherein at least one of the software associated with the first network device and the software associated with the second network device comprises at least one of firmware, assembly code, and machine code.

5. The method defined by claim 1, wherein modifying software associated with the second network device is performed by the second network device.

6. The method defined by claim 1, wherein the first network device is a master network device, modifying software associated with the second network device being performed by the first network device.

7. The method defined by claim 1, wherein the first network device is a master network device, modifying software associated with the second network device being performed by the first network device.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, perform a method of modifying software associated with network devices, the method comprising:

transmitting a modification message by a first network device in response to software associated with the first network device being modified, the first network device being associated with a first product identifier;

transmitting second software identification information by a second network device in response to receiving the modification message from the first network device, the second software identification information identifying software associated with the second network device, the second network device being associated with a second product identifier;

providing a database comprising the first product identifier, the second product identifier, first software identification information, and the second software identification information, the first software identification information identifying software associated with the first network device; and

modifying software associated with the second network device using the database.

9. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein the first product identifier comprises at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the first product identifier, the second product identifier comprising at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the second product identifier.

10. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein the first product identifier is the same as the second product identifier.

11. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein at least one of the software associated with the first network device and the software associated with the second network device comprises at least one of firmware, assembly code, and machine code.

12. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein modifying software associated with the second network device is performed by the second network device.

13. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein the first network device is a master network device, modifying software associated with the second network device being performed by the first network device.

14. The computer-readable medium defined by claim 8, wherein the first network device is a master network device, modifying software associated with the second network device being performed by the first network device.

15. A system to modify software associated with network devices, the system comprising:

a first network device transmitting a modification message in response to software associated with the first network device being modified, the first network device being associated with a first product identifier; and

a second network device transmitting second software identification information in response to receiving the modification message from the first network device, the second software identification information identifying software associated with the second network device, the second network device being associated with a second product identifier, the first network device providing a database comprising the first product identifier, the second product identifier, first software identification information, and the second software identification information, the first software identification information identifying software associated with the first network device, the software associated with the second network device being modified using the database.

16. The system defined by claim 15, wherein the first product identifier comprises at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the first product identifier, the second product identifier comprising at least one of network device identification information, manufacturer information, and model information associated with the second product identifier.

17. The system defined by claim 15, wherein the first product identifier is the same as the second product identifier.

18. The system defined by claim 15, wherein at least one of the first network device and second network device comprises at least one of an expander, network switch, router, gateway, and storage switch.

19. The system defined by claim 15, wherein at least one of the software associated with the first network device and the software associated with the second network device comprises at least one of firmware, assembly code, and machine code.

20. The system defined by claim 15, wherein the second network device transmits second software identification information based on an auto-upgrade bit.

21. The system defined by claim 15, wherein software associated with the second network device is modified using the database based on an auto-upgrade bit.

22. The system defined by claim 15, wherein software associated with the second network device is modified by the second network device.

23. The system defined by claim 15, wherein the first network device is a master network device, software associated with the second network device being modified by the first network device.

24. The system defined by claim 15, wherein the first network device is a master network device, software associated with the second network device being modified by the first network device in response to a request for modification of the software associated with the second network device being granted.