Control protocol encapsulation

A managed network switching device providing services to an unmanaged network switching device adapted to be managed by a remote device, the managed network switching device comprising:

• a plurality of ports including a first communication port and a second communication port, wherein the first communication port handles only first protocol messages, the first protocol messages being i) encapsulated and communicated according to a second protocol, and ii) communicated between the managed network switching device and the unmanaged network switching device, and wherein the second communication port handles traffic, other than encapsulated first protocol messages, communicated i) according to the second protocol and ii) between the managed network switching device and the unmanaged network switching device;
• a switch core configured to direct data packets between the plurality of ports;
• a protocol controller device configured, in response to an Ethernet packet received from the unmanaged network switching device via the first communication port, to de-encapsulate the Ethernet packet to extract a peripheral control interconnect express (PCIe) message within the Ethernet packet, the PCIe message containing an indication of an event detected at the unmanaged network switching device;
• and
• a controller device configured to create a control message for use by the unmanaged network switching device to respond to the event that indicates an action to be taken by the unmanaged network switching device in response to the event.

A method, comprising:

• detecting, at an unmanaged network switching device, an event;
• sending a first network message from the unmanaged network switching device to a managed network switching device, wherein the first network message includes an indication of the event;
• receiving, responsive to the first network message and via a first port dedicated to communicating network messages that encapsulate PCIe protocol messages, an Ethernet packet at the unmanaged network switching device from the managed network switching device using an Ethernet transport;
• de-encapsulating the Ethernet packet to recover a PCIe protocol message within the Ethernet packet;
• interpreting the PCIe protocol message to recover a message indicating an action to be taken by the unmanaged network switching device in response to the event;
• setting an internal control using information in the message indicating the action to be taken to implement a control function at the unmanaged network switching device;
• and
• communicating with the managed network switching device using a second port of the unmanaged network switching device, wherein the second port is for exchanging messages, other than network messages that encapsulate PCIe protocol messages, that are communicated using an Ethernet transport.

A method of processing messages that supports operation of an unmanaged network switching device by a managed network switching device comprising:

• developing a control protocol message at the managed network switching device that causes implementation of a control function at the unmanaged network switching device;
• encapsulating the control protocol message at the managed network switching device using a first communication protocol to create a network message;
• sending the network message from the managed network switching device to the unmanaged network switching device using a first communication protocol transport via a first port of the managed network switching device dedicated to control protocol messages and separate from a second port of the managed network switching device used for non-control protocol network traffic between the managed network switching device and the unmanaged network switching device;
• receiving a redirected network message forwarded from the unmanaged network switching device;
• de-encapsulating the redirected network message to produce a redirected control message;
• evaluating the redirected control message to determine applicability and validity related to the unmanaged network switching device;
• when the redirected control message is applicable and valid, encapsulating the redirected control message using the first communication protocol to create a second network message;
• and
• sending the second network message to the unmanaged network switching device.

A system for providing remote management of a slave network switching device using a peripheral control interface express (PCIe) protocol over an Ethernet transport comprising:

• the slave network switching device;
• and
• a master network switching device including:
• a plurality of ports;
• a switch core configured to direct data packets between the plurality of ports;
• a controller means for sending commands implementing control functions that cause responses at the slave network switching device to events reported to the master network switching device by the slave network switching device via the frame-based transport, the controller means including a management function for creating a control command for use at the slave network switching device to cause the slave network switching device to take an action in response to an event detected by the slave network switching device;
• a PCIe interface device to format the control command in accordance with the PCIe protocol to produce a formatted message;
• an Ethernet interface device to encapsulate the formatted message to create an Ethernet packet;
• and
• wherein the plurality of ports includes i) a first port for sending the Ethernet packet to the slave network switching device using the Ethernet transport and ii) a second port for sending non-PCIe protocol messages to the slave network switching device using the Ethernet transport.