# US 9,882,802 B2 · Auto management of a virtual device context enabled network infrastructure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,882,802 B2 - Document ID: US9882802B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/979,789 - Filed: 2015-12-28 - Published: 2016-04-21 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-17 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Ankur Goyal; Samar Sharma; Manuwela Kanade - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9882802B2 ## CPC - H04L 49/65: Re-configuration of fast packet switches - H04L 45/02: Topology update or discovery - H04L 49/70: {Virtual switches} - H04L 12/2859: {Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers (encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00)} - Y02B 70/30: Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level - Y02D 30/00: Reducing energy consumption in communication networks - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE ## Abstract In some embodiments, a virtual device context (vDC) domain may be advertised to other network devices. If at least a partition of each device is determined to belong to the same vDC domain, the network interface communicating with the at least one device may be activated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a memory storage; and a processor coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processor is configured to: assign a virtual device context (vDC) domain to at least one of a plurality of network ports, determine if the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state, and in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state: transmit a first network data frame advertising the assigned vDC domain on the at least one of the plurality of network ports; receive a second network data frame on the at least one of the plurality of network ports; determine whether the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain; and in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain, maintain the active state of the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to: in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising a second vDC domain, deactivate the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first network data frame and the second network data frame each comprise a network topology discovery frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is not currently in an active state: assign one of a plurality of virtual device contexts (vDCs) domain to each of the plurality of network ports; initiate a topology discovery mode; and transmit, from each of the plurality of network ports, a network topology discovery frame advertising the one of the plurality of vDC domains associated with each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor being configured to initiate the topology discovery comprises the processor being configured to broadcast a message on each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to maintain the topology discovery mode on each of the plurality of network ports for a duration defined by a time-to-live field associated with the broadcast message. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: assigning a virtual device context (vDC) domain to at least one of a plurality of network ports; determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state; and in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state: transmitting a first network data frame advertising the assigned vDC domain on the at least one of the plurality of network ports, receiving a second network data frame on the at least one of the plurality of network ports, determine whether the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain, and in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain, maintain the active state of the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising a second vDC domain, deactivate the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the first network data frame and the second network data frame each comprise a network topology discovery frame. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is not currently in an active state, further comprising: assigning one of a plurality of virtual device contexts (vDCs) domain to each of the plurality of network ports; initiating a topology discovery mode; and transmitting, from each of the plurality of network ports, a network topology discovery frame advertising the one of the plurality of vDC domains associated with each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein initiating the topology discovery comprises broadcasting a message on each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: maintaining the topology discovery mode on each of the plurality of network ports for a duration defined by a time-to-live field associated with the broadcast message. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of instructions which when executed perform a method executed by the set of instructions comprising: assigning a virtual device context (vDC) domain to at least one of a plurality of network ports; determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state; and in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is currently in an active state: transmitting a first network data frame advertising the assigned vDC domain on the at least one of the plurality of network ports, receiving a second network data frame on the at least one of the plurality of network ports, determine whether the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain, and in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising the assigned vDC domain, maintain the active state of the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising: in response to determining that the second network data frame is advertising a second vDC domain, deactivate the at least one of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first network data frame and the second network data frame each comprise a network topology discovery frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, in response to determining that the at least one of the plurality of network ports is not currently in an active state, further comprising: assigning one of a plurality of virtual device contexts (vDCs) domain to each of the plurality of network ports; initiating a topology discovery mode; and transmitting, from each of the plurality of network ports, a network topology discovery frame advertising the one of the plurality of vDC domains associated with each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein initiating the topology discovery comprises broadcasting a message on each of the plurality of network ports. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising: maintaining the topology discovery mode on each of the plurality of network ports for a duration defined by a time-to-live field associated with the broadcast message.