Method for configuring a network element having an unknown protocol address
AssigneeF5 Networks, Inc.
InventorKim F. Storm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system of simplified configuration of a network element. A network element having a direct access module and an arbitrary unknown address is coupled to a same physical subnet as a management node. The management node broadcasts a discovery broadcast to identify the existence of the network element. If a response is received indicating an address outside an access range of the management node, it sends an additional broadcast targeted to the network element force the network element to change its address to one within an access range of the management node. Once the address is changed, the management node may connect to and configure the network element using standard protocols.
Claims16
A system, comprising:
- a management device;
- and
- a device that is coupled together to the management device by a same physical subnet, and wherein the device is configured to perform actions, including:
- receiving a first broadcast frame over a network from the management device;
- snooping a hardware layer of a protocol stack for a frame directed to a predetermined port;
- forwarding the frame past a protocol layer independent of a protocol address when directed to the predetermined port;
- identifying whether the first broadcast frame is directed to the predetermined port;
- sending a response frame to a source of the first broadcast frame when the first broadcast frame was directed to the predetermined port, the response frame including the current protocol address;
- receiving a forcing frame directed to a predetermined port and including the hardware address of the device;
- changing a current protocol address of the device to a new protocol address specified in the forcing frame, wherein the current protocol address is outside an address range of the management device and the new protocol address is within the address range of the management device;
- and
- connecting to the management device using the new protocol address using Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
A non-transitory computer readable storage media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed cause a digital processing system operating as a management device to perform actions, comprising:
- broadcasting a first frame on a physical subnet the first frame containing a predetermined port number;
- checking a response for a current protocol address of a responding device, wherein the responding device is coupled to the management device through the physical subnet;
- and
- forcing the responding device to change to a new protocol address when the current protocol address is not within an access range of the management device such that the forced change to the new protocol address permits connection between the management device and the responding device, after an exchange of at least three frames and wherein the responding device is further configured to:
- snoop a hardware layer of a protocol stack for a frame directed to the predetermined port number and forward the frame past a protocol layer independent of a protocol address when directed to the predetermined port number, and wherein the management device further broadcasts a second frame on the physical subnet directed to the predetermined port number, the second frame including a hardware address of the responding device and the new protocol address.
A non-transitory computer readable storage media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed cause a device to perform actions, comprising:
- receiving a first broadcast frame over a network from a management device;
- identifying whether the first broadcast frame is directed to a predetermined port;
- sending a response frame to a source of the first broadcast frame when the first broadcast frame was directed to the predetermined port, the response frame including a current protocol address;
- snooping a hardware layer of a protocol stack for a frame directed to the predetermined port;
- forwarding the frame past a protocol layer independent of a protocol address when directed to the predetermined port;
- receiving a forcing frame directed to the predetermined port and including a hardware address of the device, wherein the device is coupled together to the management device on a same physical subnet;
- changing, based on receipt of the forcing frame, a current protocol address of the device to a new protocol address specified in the forcing frame, wherein the current protocol address is outside an address range of the management device and the new protocol address is within the address range of the management device;
- and
- connecting to the management device using the new protocol address.
A management device, comprising:
- memory;
- and
- a processor configured to perform actions, including:
- broadcasting a first frame on a physical subnet, the first frame containing a predetermined port number;
- checking a response for a current protocol address of a responding device, wherein the responding device is coupled to the management device by the physical subnet;
- and
- forcing the responding device to change to a new protocol address when the current protocol address is not within an access range of the management device such that the forced change to the new protocol address permits connection between the management device and the responding device, wherein the responding device is further configured to:
- snoop a hardware layer of a protocol stack for a frame directed to the predetermined port and forward the frame past a protocol layer independent of a protocol address when directed to the predetermined port, and wherein forcing the responding device to change to a new protocol address comprises broadcasting a second frame on the physical subnet directed to the predetermined port number, the second frame including a hardware address of the responding device and the new protocol address.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.