Realization method and system for enabling LLDP function on non-ethernet link

• US 9,729,400 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Xuwen, Chen, Juanjuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Grey, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US14/118,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20140086099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

The disclosure provides a realization method for enabling a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) function on a non-Ethernet link, which includes: starting LLDP global enabling on a network device at an end and a network device at an opposite end respectively; starting LLDP port enabling on a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the end and a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the opposite end respectively. The disclosure further provides a realization system for enabling an LLDP function on a non-Ethernet link, correspondingly. The disclosure extends and improves the physical interface scope supported by an LLDP, and achieves the purpose of enabling the LLDP neighbor discovery function on the non-Ethernet link such as a POS interface by means of supporting usage of the LLDP on the interface such as the POS interface.

Claims

1. A realization method for enabling a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) function on a non-Ethernet link, comprising:

binding a Universal Logic Ether Interface (ULEI) up with a non-Ethernet interface of a network device at an end and a non-Ethernet interface of a network device at an opposite end respectively;

starting LLDP global enabling on the network device at the end and the network device at the opposite end respectively;

starting LLDP port enabling on the non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the end and the non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the opposite end respectively;

packaging an LLDP hello message at the ULEI of the network device at the end when an interval time for sending a packet hello time of an LLDP is reached;

sending the LLDP hello message over the non-Ethernet link to the network device at the opposite end;

receiving, at the ULEI of the network device at the end, an LLDP hello message transmitted over the non-Ethernet link from the network device at the opposite end; and

processing the LLDP hello message according to the LLDP to generate or update neighbour information.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the non-Ethernet interface is a Packet Over SONET/SDH (POS) interface, a High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) interface, a Frame Relay (FR) interface, or an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interface.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

driving, by a timer, a sending state machine at a port to package an LLDP hello message when a set hello time is reached;

if the port is the non-Ethernet interface, querying the ULEI bound up with the non-Ethernet interface;

if the ULEI bound up with the non-Ethernet interface is not found, discarding the message;

if the ULEI bound up with the non-Ethernet interface is found, replacing the non-Ethernet interface with the ULEI;

encapsulating the LLDP hello message, and sending the encapsulated LLDP hello message to a rack at the opposite end via a microcode.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, by a microcode of a rack at the end, the LLDP hello message from the rack at the opposite end;

if the port which received the LLDP hello message is a ULEI, querying the non-Ethernet interface bound up with the ULEI;

if the non-Ethernet interface bound up with the ULEI is not found, discarding the message;

if the non-Ethernet interface bound up with the ULEI is found, replacing the ULEI with the non-Ethernet interface;

analyzing the received LLDP hello message;

generating or updating the neighbour information.

5. A realization system for enabling a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) function on a non-Ethernet link, comprising a global enabling starting module and a port enable starting module, wherein:

the global enabling starting module is configured to start LLDP global enabling on a network device at an end and a network device at an opposite end respectively;

the port enable starting module is configured to start LLDP port enabling on a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the end and a non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the opposite end respectively;

an interface binding module, which is configured to bind a Universal Logic Ether Interface (ULEI) up with the non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the end and the non-Ethernet interface of the network device at the opposite end respectively;

a message sending module, which is configured to package an LLDP hello message at the ULEI of the network device at the end when an interval time for sending a packet hello time of an LLDP is reached, and to send the LLDP hello message over the non-Ethernet link to the network device at the opposite end;

a message receiving module, which is configured, at the ULEI of the network device at the end, to receive an LLDP hello message transmitted over the non-Ethernet link from the network device at the opposite end, and to process the LLDP hello message according to the LLDP to generate or update neighbour information.

6. The system according to claim 5, further comprising an aging module, which is configured to periodically cause the LLDP neighbour information, which is not updated before timeout, to age.