US 8,914,509 B2Granted

Extensible configuration methods for optical networking apparatuses with multiple multi-protocol optical networking modules

AssigneeNull Networks LLC

InventorsErich S. Boleyn, Juliet Z. Cai, Zhi Wang, Qiyong B. Bian, Jonathan A. Tuchow, Alfred C. She

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Abstract

An API including a registration function and a configuration function, is provided to an optical networking apparatus to facilitate registration of configuration specification delimiter pairs by service routines of function blocks of multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM), and extraction of configuration specifications for the function blocks from a configuration specification input set using the registered configuration specification delimiter pairs. In one embodiment, the configuration function also receives current configuration of the function blocks, and merges the received current configurations of the function blocks into a configuration specification output set, separating the merged configuration specification using the registered configuration specification delimiters.

Claims33

Dependent claims

In an optical networking apparatus, a method of operation comprising:

invoking a registration function by a first service routine of a first interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block selected from a plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing blocks, and coding blocks selectively employed in combination with each other to service data transmission and receipt in accordance with a selected one of a number of frame-based protocols, wherein the plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing blocks, and coding blocks are included in a multi-protocol optical networking module (MPONM), wherein the first service routine invokes the registration function upon execution by a processor of the optical networking apparatus, wherein the invoked registration function is associated with a MPONM application programming interface (API), the invoked registration function to register a first pair of configuration specification delimiters that delimit configuration specifications applicable to the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of an MPONM in a configuration specification input set, wherein the invoking of the registration function is in response to a request by a networking application of the optical networking apparatus, wherein the request identifies the MPONM including the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block by providing a handle of a device driver handling a connecting interface through which the MPONM is coupled to a bus, wherein the bus couples each of a plurality of MPONMs to each other in the networking apparatus;
extracting first configuration specifications by a configuration function of the MPONM API, upon execution by the processor, by processing a provided configuration specification input set, wherein extracting comprises extracting first configuration specifications applicable to the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block, based at least in part on the first registered pair of configuration specification delimiters of the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block;
providing the first extracted configuration specifications by the configuration function of the MPONM API, upon execution by the processor, wherein providing comprises providing the first extracted configuration specifications to the first service routine;
and
configuring the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of the MPONM by the first service routine, upon execution by the processor, wherein configuring comprises configuring the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of the MPONM in accordance with the provided configuration specifications.

2 more elements

In an optical networking apparatus, a method of operation comprising:

invoking a registration function by a first service routine of a first interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block selected from a plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing block, and coding blocks selectively employed in combination to service data transmission and receipt in accordance with a selected one of a number of frame-based protocols, wherein the plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing block, and coding blocks are included in a multi-protocol optical networking module (MPONM), wherein the first service routine invokes the registration function upon execution by a processor of the MPONM, wherein invoking comprises invoking a registration function of a MPONM application programming interface (API) to register a first pair of configuration specification delimiters that delimit configuration specifications applicable to the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block in a configuration specification input set, wherein the invoking of the registration function is in response to a request by a networking application of the optical networking module separate from the first function block service routine, wherein the request identifies the MPONM including the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block by providing a handle of a device driver handling a connecting interface through which the MPONM is coupled to a bus, wherein the bus couples each of a plurality of MPONMs to each other in the networking apparatus;
receiving current configuration of the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of a MPONM by the configuration function of a MPONM application programming interface (API);
and
merging said provided current configuration of the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of the MPONM into a configuration specification output set by the configuration function of the MPONM API, upon execution by the processor, and delimiting the merged current configuration of the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of the MPONM from other configuration specifications of other selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding blocks of the MPONM using the first registered pair of configuration specification delimiters.

1 more element

A networking apparatus comprising

a plurality of multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM), each having a plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing blocks, and coding blocks, each adapted to be selectively employed in combination with each other to service data transmission and receipt in accordance with a selected one of a number of frame-based protocols;
memory coupled to the plurality of MPONM, having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions implementing
a registration function of a MPONM application programming interface (API) to accept registration of one or more configuration specification delimiter pairs by one or more service routines of one or more of said interface blocks, protocol processing blocks, or coding blocks selected from the plurality of interface block, protocol processing block, and coding blocks of the MPONM, the registration function invoked in response to a request by a networking application separate from the one or more function block service routines, wherein the networking application identifies the MPONM by providing a handle of a device driver handling a connecting interface through which the MPONM is coupled to a bus, the bus coupling each of a plurality of MPONMs to each other in the networking apparatus;
and
a configuration function of the MPONM API to extract configuration specifications for one or more of said selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding blocks of a MPONM from a configuration specification input set using said one or more registered configuration specification delimiter pairs;
and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and the plurality of MPONM to execute the programming instructions.

4 more elements

A networking apparatus comprising

a plurality of multi-protocol optical networking modules (MPONM), each having a plurality of interface blocks, protocol processing blocks, and coding blocks configured to be selectively employed in combination to service data transmission and receipt in accordance with a selected one of a number of frame-based protocols;
memory coupled to the plurality of MPONM, having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions implementing
a first service routine of a first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block, configured to provide a configuration function of a MPONM application programming interface (API) with current configuration of the first selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of a MPONM;
and
a registration function of an MPONM application programming interface (API) configured to accept registration of one or more configuration specification delimiter pairs by one or more service routines of one or more of said selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding blocks of the MPONM, the registration function invoked in response to a request by a networking application of the optical networking apparatus separate from the first service routine, wherein the request identifies the MPONM including the selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block by providing a handle of a device driver handling a connecting interface through which the MPONM is coupled to a bus, the bus coupling each of a plurality of MPONMs to each other in the networking apparatus;
and
a configuration function of the MPONM API to receive current configuration of the selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding blocks of a MPONM and to merge said received current configuration of the function blocks of the MPONM into a configuration specification output set, delimiting the merged current configuration of the s selected interface block, protocol processing block, or coding block of the MPONM by using the registered pairs of configuration specification delimiters;
and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and the plurality of MPONM to execute the programming instructions.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.