Method and apparatus providing automatic provisioning for modular network devices

• US 7,363,260 B1
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stamler, Arnold, Mohammad, Ikramullah
• Primary Examiner(s): CUFF, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/434,586
• Time in Patent Office: 1,811 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method of provisioning modular network devices is described. A generic configuration is placed on a device; the configuration comprises commands for configuring interfaces associated the device. At the device, each interface associated with the device is configured with at least one command associated with the configuration. The device then connects with a management point through the current interface. An inventory of all interfaces associated with the device is self-initiated and automatically communicated by the device to the management point.

Claims

1. A method of automatically providing inventory information describing a modular network device to a network management point, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

by instructions executed in the modular network device, creating and storing inventory information for the modular network device for use by the management point, wherein the network management point comprises a server configured to receive the inventory information from the device, update a database of configuration information, automatically generate a permanent configuration for the device based on the inventory messages, and communicate the permanent configuration to the device, wherein the inventory information comprises one or more absolute interface references that identify physical slot locations of one or more interfaces in the modular network device, and wherein creation of the inventory information is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point; and

communicating the inventory in a request for a permanent configuration that is sent from the modular network device to a management point through a network, wherein communication of the inventory information to the management point is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory information is generated at the device in real time based on a then-current inventory of line cards or modules in the device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the inventory to the management point further comprises the step of communicating the inventory in the form of an XML document.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the device comprises one or more pluggable modules, and wherein the interfaces are interfaces associated with the pluggable modules.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory information is communicated as part of a request from the device to obtain a permanent configuration for the device from the management point.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory information comprises (a) a module identifier of each module type that is plugged into the device;

(b) for each module type, an interface identifier for each interface of each particular module in the device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each interface is identified using configuration command syntax that may be used in a configuration command to correctly access the associated interface.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inventory information is created and communicated by the device in response to a change in the configuration or inventory of the device.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of the device self-initiating the taking of a device inventory resulting in creating inventory information that identifies one or more slots in the device that are empty.

10. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for automatically providing inventory information describing a modular network device to a network management point, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

by instructions executed in the modular network device, creating and storing inventory information for a modular network device for use by the management point, wherein the network management point comprises a server configured to receive the inventory information from the device, update a database of configuration information, automatically generate a permanent configuration for the device based on the inventory messages, and communicate the permanent configuration to the device, wherein the inventory information comprises one or more absolute interface references that identify physical slot locations of one or more interfaces in the modular network device, and wherein creation of the inventory information is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point; and

communicating the inventory from the modular network device to a management point through a network, wherein communication of the inventory information to the management point is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the inventory information is generated at the device in real time based on a then-current inventory of line cards or modules in the device.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the instructions for performing the step of communicating the inventory to the management point further comprise instructions for performing the step of communicating the inventory in the form of an XML document.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the device comprises one or more pluggable modules, and wherein the interfaces are interfaces associated with the pluggable modules.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the instructions for communicating the inventory information provide for communicating the inventor information as part of a request from the device to obtain a permanent configuration for the device from the management point.

15. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the inventory information comprises (a) a module identifier of each module type that is plugged into the device;

(b) for each module type, an interface identifier for each interface of each particular module in the device.

16. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein each interface is identified using configuration command syntax that may be used in a configuration command to correctly access the associated interface.

17. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, wherein the inventory information is created and communicated by the device in response to a change in the configuration or inventory of the device.

18. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of the device self-initiating the taking of an inventory resulting in creating inventory information that identifies one or more slots in the device that are empty.

19. An apparatus for automatically providing inventory information describing a modular network device to a network management point, comprising:

means, in the modular network device, for creating and storing inventory information for the modular network device for use by the management point, wherein the network management point comprises a server configured to receive the inventory information from the device, update a database of configuration information, automatically generate a permanent configuration for the device based on the inventory messages, and communicate the permanent configuration to the device, wherein the inventory information comprises one or more absolute interface references that identify physical slot locations of one or more interfaces in the modular network device, and wherein creation of the inventory information is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point; and

means for communicating the inventory from the modular network device to a management point through a network, wherein communication of the inventory information to the management point is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the inventory information is generated at the device in real time based on a then-current inventory of line cards or modules in the device.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the step of communicating the inventory to the management point further comprises the step of communicating the inventory in the form of an XML document.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the device comprises one or more pluggable modules, and wherein the interfaces are interfaces associated with the pluggable modules.

23. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the inventory information is communicated as part of a request from the device to obtain a permanent configuration for the device from the management point.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the inventory information comprises (a) a module identifier of each module type that is plugged into the device;

(b) for each module type, an interface identifier for each interface of each particular module in the device.

25. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein each interface is identified using configuration command syntax that may be used in a configuration command to correctly access the associated interface.

26. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the inventory information is created and communicated by the device in response to a change in the configuration or inventory of the device.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising the step of the device self-initiating the taking of a device inventory resulting in creating inventory information that identifies one or more slots in the device that are empty.

28. An apparatus for automatically providing inventory information describing a modular network device to a network management point, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

by instructions executed in the modular network device, creating and storing inventory information for the modular network device for use by the management point, wherein the network management point comprises a server configured to receive the inventory information from the device, update a database of configuration information, automatically generate a permanent configuration for the device based on the inventory messages, and communicate the permanent configuration to the device, wherein the inventory information comprises one or more absolute interface references that identify physical slot locations of one or more interfaces in the modular network device, and wherein creation of the inventory information is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point; and

communicating the inventory from the modular network device to a management point through the data network, wherein communication of the inventory information to the management point is self-initiated by the device without receiving a request for inventory from the management point.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the inventory information is generated at the device in real time based on a then-current inventory of line cards or modules in the device.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the step of communicating the inventory to the management point further comprises the step of communicating the inventory in the form of an XML document.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the device comprises one or more pluggable modules, and wherein the interfaces are interfaces associated with the pluggable modules.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the inventory information is communicated as part of a request from the device to obtain a permanent configuration for the device from the management point.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the inventory information comprises (a) a module identifier of each module type that is plugged into the device;

(b) for each module type, an interface identifier for each interface of each particular module in the device.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein each interface is identified using configuration command syntax that may be used in a configuration command to correctly access the associated interface.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein the inventory information is created and communicated by the device in response to a change in the configuration or inventory of the device.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 28, further comprising the device self-initiating the taking of a device inventory that results in creating inventory information that identifies one or more slots in the device that are empty.