# US 10,122,588 B2 · Ring network uplink designation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,122,588 B2 - Document ID: US10122588B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/507,333 - Filed: 2015-03-26 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-26 - Assignees: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Applicants: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP - Inventors: Christopher Murray; Jonathan R. Guthrie - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10122588B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 12/423: with centralised control, e.g. polling - H04L 41/342: between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Examples associated with ring network uplink designation are disclosed. One example includes detecting an operable connection between a member of a ring network and an external network. The operable connection may be detected by the member of the ring network. A signal is provided to a ring network management daemon. The signal may indicate the member of the ring network has the operable connection to the external network. A signal is received from the ring network management daemon. The signal may designate the ring network as an active uplink to the external network. The operable connection between the ring network and the external network is activated. Once activated, the operable connection may facilitate communication between members of the ring network and the external network. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: detecting, by a member of a ring network, an operable connection between the member of the ring network and an external network; providing a status signal to a ring network management daemon indicating the member of the ring network has the operable connection to the external network; receiving an activate signal from the ring network management daemon designating the member of the ring network as an active uplink to the external network; and activating the operable connection between the ring network and the external network to facilitate communication between members of the ring network and the external network. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising periodically providing a status signal to the ring network management daemon indicating the member of the ring network has an operable connection to the external network. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the ring network management daemon controls a function of the ring network using a G.8032 protocol. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the status signal provided to the ring network management daemon is provided via a first broadcast signal, and where the activate signal from the ring network management daemon is received via a second broadcast signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, where the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signals are transmitted using a virtual local area network (VLAN) over VLAN port 4095. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: providing a disconnection signal to the ring network management daemon indicating disconnection of the operable connection; receiving an alternate signal from the ring network management daemon designating an alternate member of the ring network as the active uplink; and communicating to the external network via the alternate member of the ring network. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising: placing the operable connection into a private VLAN to facilitate periodic determination of a connection status of the operable connection; and periodically providing a status signal to the ring network management daemon indicating the connection status of the operable connection. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the ring network management daemon is the owner of the ring network. ### Claim 9 A system, comprising: a data store to store data describing operable connections between an external network and members of a ring network; an uplink status module to update the data describing operable connections based on statuses of respective operable connections contained in signals received from the members of the ring network; an uplink selection module to designate which operable connection will serve as an active uplink between the ring network and the external network based on statuses of the operable connections; and a network control module to periodically broadcast an identifier of the active uplink to members of the ring network. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, where the identifier of the active uplink causes a member of the ring network associated with the active uplink to activate its operable connection with the external network, and where the identifier of the active uplink causes members of the ring network to transmit data between the external network and the ring network via the member of the ring network associated with the active uplink. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, where the network control module transmits a deactivation signal that causes a member of the ring network associated with the active uplink to deactivate the active uplink when the uplink status module has not received a signal from the member of the ring network associated with the active uplink for a specified period of time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, where the deactivation signal is sent to a neighbor of the member of the ring network associated with the active uplink, and where the deactivation signal causes the neighbor to reset the member of the ring network associated with the active uplink. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, where the network control module transmits a flush command to members of the ring network prior to transmitting an identifier of a replacement uplink after detecting that an operable connection associated with the active uplink has become disconnected. ### Claim 14 A system, comprising: a set of enclosures organized as a ring network, where each enclosure comprises: a set of servers that perform services for an external network; and a network switch to transmit traffic between the servers, other enclosures, and the external network; and a processor running an uplink daemon, the uplink daemon to detect whether the enclosure has a respective operable connection to the external network, to broadcast status of the respective operable connection to other enclosures, and to selectively isolate the respective operable connection from other enclosures until receiving an instruction identifying the operable connection as an active uplink between the ring network and the external network; and a management daemon operating on a processor of an enclosure to maintain a list of enclosures with operable connections to the external network based on statuses received from uplink daemons, to designate an operable connection as the active uplink, and to broadcast the instruction identifying the operable connection as the active uplink. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, where the management daemon, when designating the operable connection as the active uplink, selects an enclosure with the oldest active operable connection from the list of enclosures.