US 7,742,439 B2Granted

Automated correction of duplex mismatches

AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

InventorsKevin Young, Giuseppe Scaglione

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Abstract

One embodiment relates to a method for automated correction of duplex mismatches. A duplex mismatch is detected at a port of a network device, and characteristics of the duplex mismatch are determined. The configuration of the mismatched port is automatically modified based upon said characteristics. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for automated correction of duplex mismatches. The apparatus includes a duplex mismatch detector and an automated duplex mismatch fixer. The duplex mismatch detector is configured to detect a duplex mismatch at a port of a network device and to determine characteristics of the duplex mismatch. The automated duplex mismatch fixer is configured to modify a configuration of the mismatched port based upon said characteristics. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for correcting in an automated manner duplex mismatches between a first port of a first network device and a second port of a second network device the method performed by one or more processors of the first network device executing computer-executable code, the method comprising:

determining whether the first port is a copper port;
in response to determining that the first port is not a copper port, indicating that a duplex mismatch between the first port and the second port is not possible;
in response to determining that the first port is a copper port,
determining whether the first port is operating in a gigabit mode;
in response to determining that the first port is operating in the gigabit mode, indicating that a duplex mismatch between the first port and the second port is not possible;
in response to determining that the first port is not operating in the gigabit mode,
detecting a duplex mismatch at the first port of the first network device;
in response to detecting the duplex mismatch,
determining characteristics of the duplex mismatch, where the characteristics comprise one of:
a first indication that cyclic redundancy check errors have exceeded a threshold level at the first port, corresponding to late collisions being detected at the second port,
a second indication that the late collisions have occurred at the first port, corresponding to the cyclic redundancy check errors having exceeded the threshold level at the second port;
waiting for an effectively random period of time,
where the effectively random period of time is a first period of time where the first port is currently configured for auto-negotiation,
where the effectively random period of time is a second period of time where the first port is currently configured for forced full duplex, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time, and
after waiting for the effectively random period of time, modifying a configuration of the first port of the first network device based upon said characteristics.

12 more elements

An apparatus for automated correction of duplex mismatches, comprising:

hardware;
a duplex mismatch detector configured to:
determine whether a port of the apparatus is a copper port;
in response to determining that the first port is not a copper port, indicate that a duplex mismatch is not possible;
in response to determining that the first port is a copper port, determine whether the first port is operating in a gigabit mode;
in response to determining that the first port is operating in the gigabit mode, indicate that a duplex mismatch is not possible;
in response to determining that the first port is not operating in the gigabit mode,
detect a duplex mismatch at the port;
determine characteristics of the duplex mismatch, where the characteristics comprise one of:
a first indication that cyclic redundancy check errors have exceeded a threshold level at the port, corresponding to late collisions being detected at a second port of a different apparatus to which the port of the apparatus is communicatively coupled;
a second indication that the late collisions have occurred at the port, corresponding to the cyclic redundancy check errors having exceeded the threshold level at the second port;
and
an automated duplex mismatch fixer to:
modify a configuration of the port based upon said characteristics;
prior to modifying the configuration of the port, wait for an effectively random period of time,
where the effectively random period of time is a first period of time where the first port is currently configured for auto-negotiation,
where the effectively random period of time is a second period of time where the first port is currently configured for forced full duplex, the second period of time being longer than the first period of time,
wherein one or more of the duplex mismatch detector and the automated duplex mismatch fixer are implemented at least by the hardware.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.