System and Method for Providing U-Space Aligned Intelligent VLAN and Port Mapping

• US 20150256409A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Masuyama, Jinsaku, Palmer, John R., Ahmed, Sajjad S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,122,585 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/342 between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities

Abstract

A server rack includes a mapping module having management ports that are each uniquely associated with and collocated with a rack unit of the server rack, a server installed in a rack unit of the server rack having a host port and a management controller coupled to a management port, and a rack switch including a first switch port coupled to the host port. The management module provides an indication to the mapping module that the host port is an active port, and the mapping module directs the rack switch to query the switch port to determine if the switch port is coupled to the active port in response to receiving the indication, receives a second indication that the switch port is coupled to the active port, and provides a network map for the server rack that indicates that the host port is coupled to the switch port.

Claims

1. A server rack comprising:

a mapping module including a plurality of management ports, wherein each management port is uniquely associated with a rack unit of the server rack and is collocated with the associated rack unit;

a first server installed in a first rack unit of the server rack and including;

a first host port; and

a first management controller coupled to a first management port associated with the first rack unit, wherein the management module provides a first indication to the mapping module that the first host port is a first active port; and

a rack switch including a first switch port coupled to the first host port;

wherein the mapping module;

directs the rack switch to query the first switch port to determine if the first switch port is coupled to the first active port in response to receiving the first indication;

receives from the rack switch a second indication that the first switch port is coupled to the first active port; and

provides a network map for the server rack that indicates that the first host port is coupled to the first switch port.

2. The server rack of claim 1, wherein the first indication includes first information that identifies the first host port.

3. The server rack of claim 2, wherein the first information includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first host port.

4. The server rack of claim 2, wherein the first information includes a MAC address that is associated with a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN).

5. The server rack of claim 4, further comprising:

a second server installed in a second rack unit of the server rack and including;

a second host port; and

a second management controller coupled to a second management port associated with the second rack unit, wherein the second management module provides a third indication to the mapping module that the second host port is a second active port;

wherein the rack switch includes a second switch port coupled to the second host port;

wherein the mapping module further;

directs the rack switch to query the second switch port to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port in response to receiving the third indication;

receives from the rack switch a fourth indication that the second switch port is coupled to the second active port; and

updates the network map to indicate that the second host port is coupled to the second switch port.

6. The server rack of claim 5, wherein the third indication includes second information including the MAC that is associated with the VLAN.

7. The server rack of claim 6, wherein the mapping module further:

receives from the first management module a fifth indication that the VLAN is no longer associated with the first host port; and

directs the rack switch to query the second switch port to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port in further response to receiving the fifth indication.

8. The server rack of claim 1, wherein the mapping module further:

determines the location of the first server based upon the first management controller being coupled to the first management port.

9. A method comprising:

providing, from a first management module of a first server in a server rack, to a mapping module of the server rack, a first indication that a first host port of the first server is a first active port, wherein the mapping module includes a plurality of management ports, wherein each management port is uniquely associated with a rack unit of the server rack and is collocated with the associated rack unit;

directing, by the mapping module, a rack switch of the server rack to query a first switch port of the rack switch to determine if the first switch port is coupled to the first active port in response to receiving the first indication;

receiving, from the rack switch, a second indication that the first switch port is coupled to the first active port; and

providing, by the mapping module, a network map for the server rack that indicates that the first host port is coupled to the first switch port.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first indication includes first information that identifies the first host port.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first host port.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first information includes a MAC address that is associated with a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN).

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, from a second management module of a second server in the server rack, to the mapping module, a third indication that a second host port of the second server is a second active port;

directing, by the mapping module, the rack switch to query a second switch port of the rack switch to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port in response to receiving the third indication;

receiving, from the rack switch, a fourth indication that the second switch port is coupled to the second active port; and

updating, by the mapping module, the network map to indicate that the second host port is coupled to the second switch port.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third indication includes second information including the MAC that is associated with the VLAN.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, by the mapping module from the first management module, a fifth indication that the VLAN is no longer associated with the first host port;

wherein directing the rack switch to query the second switch port to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port is in further response to receiving the fifth indication.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining, by the mapping module, the location of the first server based upon the first management controller being coupled to the first management port.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

providing, from a first management module of a first server in a server rack, to a mapping module of the server rack, a first indication that a first host port of the first server is a first active port, wherein the mapping module includes a plurality of management ports, wherein each management port is uniquely associated with a rack unit of the server rack and is collocated with the associated rack unit;

directing a rack switch of the server rack to query a first switch port of the rack switch to determine if the first switch port is coupled to the first active port in response to receiving the first indication;

receiving a second indication that the first switch port is coupled to the first active port; and

providing a network map for the server rack that indicates that the first host port is coupled to the first switch port.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first indication includes first information that includes a Media Access Control (MAC) address that is associated with a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN).

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

providing, from a second management module of a second server in the server rack, to the mapping module, a third indication that a second host port of the second server is a second active port;

directing the rack switch to query a second switch port of the rack switch to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port in response to receiving the third indication;

receiving a fourth indication that the second switch port is coupled to the second active port; and

updating the network map to indicate that the second host port is coupled to the second switch port.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the third indication includes second information including the MAC that is associated with the VLAN, the method further comprising:

receiving a fifth indication that the VLAN is no longer associated with the first host port;

wherein directing the rack switch to query the second switch port to determine if the second switch port is coupled to the second active port is in further response to receiving the fifth indication.