US6654796B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for managing cluster of network switches using IP address for commander switch and redirecting a managing request via forwarding an HTTP connection to an expansion switch
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
•
Filing: 1999-10-07
•
Granted: 2003-11-25
•
Expires: 2019-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A group of network devices, such as Ethernet switches, are logically configured as a single cluster, with one commander device and one or more expansion devices. Each device in the cluster contains an embedded HTML server that facilitates configuration and management of the network device via a management station running a Web browser. Each device in the cluster is identified by a unique Universal Resource Locator (“URL”). However, only the cluster commander is required to have an IP address. The cluster commander redirects and translates configuration and management requests from the Web browser on the management station so that requests are processed by the appropriate device in the cluster. The exchange of information between the Web browser on the management station and the devices in a cluster is accomplished via redirection of HTTP GET and POST methods. This provides a consistent, device-independent interface between the device and the Web browser on the management station.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Slater
- 👤 Krishna Rao Chennapragada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L45/00; H04L45/58; H04L45/583; H04L41/00; H04L41/02; H04L41/0246; H04L41/0273; H04L41/0293
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 60
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for managing a cluster of network devices, said method comprising: assigning an IP address for the cluster to a first network device selected as a commander network device, remaining network devices being expansion network devices; establishing a first HTTP connection from a management station to the first network device using the cluster IP address; receiving a network device management request at the first network device, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device; establishing a forwarding HTTP connection from the first network device to the expansion network device indicated by the URI; and redirecting the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for managing a cluster of network devices, said method comprising: assigning an IP address for the cluster to a first network device selected as a commander network device, remaining network devices being expansion network devices; establishing a first HTTP connection from a management station to the first network device using the cluster IP address; receiving a network device management request at the first network device, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device; establishing a forwarding HTTP connection from the first network device to the expansion network device indicated by the URI; and redirecting the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first network device is a LAN switch.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method according to claim 2 , wherein the second network device is a LAN switch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined data pattern is a four byte octet sequence consisting of CR-LF-CR-LF.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said redirecting includes: reading the management data in the request from the first HTTP connection; and writing the management data to the forwarding HTTP connection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said redirecting further includes: determining whether the entire management data has been received from the first HTTP connection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said determining includes: comparing the management data stream to a predetermined data pattern indicating termination of the data stream.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the request is a GET request.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method in accordance with claim 5 wherein said determining includes: parsing a header of the request and extracting a field containing a length of the request.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the request is a POST request.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the URI includes Universal Resource Location (URL) and Universal Resource Name (URM).
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the URI includes a string specific to the corresponding expansion network device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising: processing the request at the first network device if the URI does not indicate any one of the expansion network devices.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising: redirecting a response from the expansion network device to the management station by reading response data in the response from the forwarding HTTP connection and writing the response data to the first HTTP connection at the first network device.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising: authenticating the redirected request at the expansion network device.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method in accordance with claim 15 wherein said authenticating includes: comparing an IP address of a sender of the request with a Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) address of the commander.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method in accordance with claim 16 wherein said authenticating further includes: checking the CMP address of the commander is associated with a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the commander using an IP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the first HTTP connection includes: a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection established between the management station and an HTTP server on the first network device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method in accordance with claim 18 wherein the forwarding HTTP connection includes: a forwarding TCP connection established between the HTTP server on the first network device and an HTTP server on the expansion network device, thereby providing the management station with Web access to the expansion network device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
124 words
A cluster of network devices, said cluster comprising: a commander network device having an IP address, said commander network device capable of receiving a network device management request from a management station via a first HTTP connection, and redirecting the request via a forwarding HTTP connection, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; and at least one expansion network device capable of receiving the redirected request from the forwarding HTTP connection, wherein said commander network device includes: a request redirector for receiving the request, determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device, and forwarding the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
124 words
A cluster of network devices, said cluster comprising: a commander network device having an IP address, said commander network device capable of receiving a network device management request from a management station via a first HTTP connection, and redirecting the request via a forwarding HTTP connection, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; and at least one expansion network device capable of receiving the redirected request from the forwarding HTTP connection, wherein said commander network device includes: a request redirector for receiving the request, determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device, and forwarding the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
19 words
The cluster of network devices according to claim 20 , wherein said commander network device is a LAN switch.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The cluster of network devices according to claim 21 , wherein said expansion network devices are LAN switches.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The cluster of network devices according to claim 20 , wherein said commander network device has a non-private IP address and said expansion devices have private IP addresses.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The cluster of network devices according to claim 20 , wherein said network devices in the cluster transmit data to other network devices to discover whether additional network devices may be added to the cluster.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said request redirector includes: a read module for reading the management data in the request from the first HTTP connection; and a write module writing the management data to the forwarding HTTP connection.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
32 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said request redirector further includes: an end determiner module for determining whether the entire management data has been received from the first HTTP connection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 26 wherein said end determiner module compares the management data stream to a predetermined data pattern indicating termination of the data stream.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
14 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 27 wherein the request is a GET request.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 26 wherein said end determiner module parses a header of the request and extracting a field containing a length of the request.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 29 wherein the request is a POST request.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein the URI includes Universal Resource Location (URL) and Universal Resource Name (URM).
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein the URI includes a string specific to the corresponding expansion network device.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
29 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said commander network device locally processes the request if the URI does not indicate any one of the expansion network devices.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
30 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said commander network device further includes: a response redirector for redirecting a response from the expansion network device to the management station.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
41 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 34 wherein said response redirector includes: a read module for reading response data in the response from the forwarding HTTP connection; and a write module for writing the response data to the first HTTP connection.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said expansion device includes: an authentication module for authenticating the redirected request.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
31 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 36 wherein said authentication module compares an IP address of a sender of the request with a Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) address of the commander.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
38 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 37 wherein said authentication module checks the CMP address of the commander is associated with a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the commander using an IP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
58 words
The cluster in accordance with claim 20 wherein said commander network device includes: an HTTP server for establishing a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection from the management station, and for establishing a forwarding TCP connection to an HTTP server on said expansion network device, thereby providing the management station with Web access to the expansion network device.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for managing a cluster of network devices, said system comprising: a management station capable of sending a network device management request via a first HTRP connection, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; a commander network device capable of receiving the request from the first HTTP connection, and redirecting the request via a forwarding HTTP connection; and at least one expansion network device capable of receiving the redirected request from the forwarding HTTP connection, wherein said commander network device includes: a request redirector for receiving the request, determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device, and forwarding the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for managing a cluster of network devices, said system comprising: a management station capable of sending a network device management request via a first HTRP connection, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; a commander network device capable of receiving the request from the first HTTP connection, and redirecting the request via a forwarding HTTP connection; and at least one expansion network device capable of receiving the redirected request from the forwarding HTTP connection, wherein said commander network device includes: a request redirector for receiving the request, determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device, and forwarding the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said request redirector includes: a read module for reading the management data in the request from the first HTTP connection; and a write module writing the management data to the forwarding HTTP connection.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said request redirector further includes: an end determiner module for determining whether the entire management data has been received from the first HTTP connection.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system in accordance with claim 42 wherein said end determiner module compares the management data stream to a predetermined data pattern indicating termination of the data stream.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system in accordance with claim 43 wherein the request is a GET request.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system in accordance with claim 42 wherein said end determiner module parses a header of the request and extracting a field containing a length of the request.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system in accordance with claim 45 wherein the request is a POST request.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein the URI includes Universal Resource Location (URL) and Universal Resource Name (URM).
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein the URI includes a string specific to the corresponding expansion network device.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said commander network device locally processes the request if the URI does not indicate any one of the expansion network devices.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said commander network device further includes: a response redirector for redirecting a response from the expansion network device to the management station.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system in accordance with claim 50 wherein said response redirector includes: a read module for reading response data in the response from the forwarding HTTP connection; and a write module for writing the response data to the first HTTP connection.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said expansion device includes: an authentication module for authenticating the redirected request.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system in accordance with claim 52 wherein said authentication module compares an IP address of a sender of the request with a Cluster Management Protocol (CMP) address of the commander.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system in accordance with claim 53 wherein said authentication module checks the CMP address of the commander is associated with a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the commander using an IP Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) table.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system in accordance with claim 40 wherein said commander network device includes: an HTTP server for establishing a first Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection from the management station, and for establishing a forwarding TCP connection to an HTTP server on said expansion network device, thereby providing the management station with Web access to the expansion network device.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
153 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for managing a cluster of network devices, the method comprising: assigning an IP address for the cluster to a first network device selected as a commander network device, remaining network devices being expansion network devices; establishing a first HTTP connection from a management station to the first network device using the cluster IP address; receiving a network device management request at the first network device, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device; establishing a forwarding HTTP connection from the first network device to the expansion network device indicated by the URI; and redirecting the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
153 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for managing a cluster of network devices, the method comprising: assigning an IP address for the cluster to a first network device selected as a commander network device, remaining network devices being expansion network devices; establishing a first HTTP connection from a management station to the first network device using the cluster IP address; receiving a network device management request at the first network device, the request including a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) indicating one of the network devices in the cluster and management data for the indicated network device; determining if the URI indicates an expansion network device; establishing a forwarding HTTP connection from the first network device to the expansion network device indicated by the URI; and redirecting the request to the expansion network device indicated by the URI.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5367635A
Cited
EP0567217A2
Cited
US5502725A
Cited
US5319644A
Cited
US5390170A
Cited
US5715394A
Cited
US5734654A
Cited
US5473607A
Cited
US5530963A
Cited
US5867666A
Cited
US5678006A
Cited
US5802047A
Cited
US5812776A
Cited
US5845087A
Cited
US5968116A
Cited
US5872783A
Cited
US6047376A
Cited
US5812529A
Cited
US6021429A
Cited
US6122657A
Cited
US6470389B1
Cited
US6330602B1
Cited
US5918016A
Cited
US6006264A
Cited
US5991810A
Cited
US5974453A
Cited
US6018770A
Cited
US6092196A
Cited
US6378053B1
Cited
US6055236A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-11-24 | 2007-05-26 | 2007-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-11-24 | 2011-05-26 | 2011-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-11-24 | 2015-05-26 | 2015-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |