Control protocol encapsulation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9762429-B2
Application number	US-201514611903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2015
Priority date	Feb 14, 2007
Publication date	Sep 12, 2017
Grant date	Sep 12, 2017

Abstract

A processor is configured to determine non-core functions to be performed by an unmanaged device disposed on a packet based computer network. A control message generator is configured to (i) generate a point-to-point control message conforming to a point-to-point control protocol for controlling the unmanaged device over a point-to-point serial bus connection to perform the determined non-core functions, and (ii) encapsulate the point-to-point control message in a transport packet for transport over the packet based computer network. A packet transmitter is configured to transmit the transport packet including the encapsulated point-to-point control message via a port coupled to the packet based computer network, the packet based computer network configured to route the transport packet including the encapsulated point-to-point control message based on a header included in the transport packet so that the point-to-point control message is received at the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for providing control support to an unmanaged device on a packet based computer network, the apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to determine one or more non-core functions to be performed by an unmanaged device disposed on the packet based computer network;
a control message generator configured to (i) generate a point-to-point control message conforming to a point-to-point control protocol for controlling the unmanaged device over a point-to-point serial bus connection to perform the determined one or more non-core functions, and (ii) encapsulate the point-to-point control message in a transport packet conforming to a packet switching protocol for transport over the packet based computer network, the transport packet wrapping the point-to-point control message with an additional protocol layer including a header; and
a packet transmitter configured to transmit the transport packet including the encapsulated point-to-point control message via a port coupled to the packet based computer network, the packet based computer network configured to route the transport packet including the encapsulated point-to-point control message based on the header included in the transport packet so that the point-to-point control message is received at the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
monitor one or more communications with the unmanaged device; and
determine, based on the monitoring of one or more communications with the unmanaged device, the one or more non-core functions to be performed by the unmanaged device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
analyze one or more event messages received from the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network, the one or more event messages indicating one or more events at the unmanaged device that have been detected by the unmanaged device; and
determine, based on the analysis of the one or more event messages, the one or more non-core functions to be performed by the unmanaged device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control message generator includes:
a first protocol interface coupled to the processor, the first protocol interface configured to:
receive, from the processor, one or more indications of the one or more non-core functions to be performed by an unmanaged device, and
generate the point-to-point control message conforming to the point-to-point control protocol based on the one or more indications of the one or more non-core functions to be performed by an unmanaged device; and

a second protocol interface coupled to the first protocol interface, the second protocol interface configured to:
encapsulate the point-to-point control protocol message in the transport packet conforming to the packet switching protocol.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
the point-to-point control message is a first point-to-point control message;
the transport packet is a first transport packet;
the first protocol interface is further configured to:
receive, from the second protocol interface, a second point-to-point control message received from the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network, the second point-to-point control message conforming to the point-to-point control protocol, and
provide, based on the second point-to-point control message, an event message to the processor, the event message indicating an event at the unmanaged device that was detected by the unmanaged device; and

the second protocol interface is configured to:
receive, via the port, a second transport packet sent by the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network, the second transport packet conforming to the packet switching protocol, and
de-encapsulate the second point-to-point control message from the second transport packet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the point-to-point control protocol is a peripheral control interconnect express (PCIe) protocol; and
the packet switching protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the port is a first port designated for handling transport packets that include encapsulated point-to-point control messages; and
the processor is configured to:
determine when transport packets including encapsulated point-to-point control messages are received via a second port not designated for handling transport packets that include encapsulated point-to-point control messages, and
discard any point-to-point control messages corresponding to the encapsulated point-to-point control messages received via the second port.

8. A method for providing control support to an unmanaged first device disposed on a packet based computer network, the method comprising:
determining, at a second device disposed on the packet based computer network, one or more non-core functions to be performed by the unmanaged first device disposed on the packet based computer network;
generating, at the second device, a point-to-point control message conforming to a point-to-point control protocol for controlling the unmanaged first device over a point-to-point serial bus connection to perform the determined one or more non-core functions;
encapsulating, at the second device, the point-to-point control message in a transport packet conforming to a packet switching protocol for transport over the packet based computer network, the transport packet wrapping the point-to-point control message with an additional protocol layer including a header; and
transmitting the transport packet that includes the encapsulated point-to-point control message via a port of the second device, the port being coupled to the packet based computer network, the packet based computer network being configured to route the transport packet including the encapsulated point-to-point control message based on the header included in the transport packet so that the point-to-point control message is received at the unmanaged first device via the packet based computer network.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
monitoring, at the second device, one or more communications with the unmanaged first device; and
based on the monitoring of one or more communications with the unmanaged first device, determining, at the second device, the one or more non-core functions to be performed by the unmanaged first device.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
analyzing, at the second device, an event message received from the unmanaged first device via the packet based computer network, the event message indicating an event at the unmanaged first device that was detected by the unmanaged first device; and
based on the analysis of the event message, determining, at the second device, the one or more non-core functions to be performed by the unmanaged device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
the point-to-point control message is a first point-to-point control message;
the transport packet is a first transport packet;
the method further comprises:
receiving, via the port of the second device, a second transport packet sent by the unmanaged device via the packet based computer network, the second transport packet conforming to the packet switching protocol; and
de-encapsulating, at the second device, a second point-to-point control message from the second transport packet, the second point-to-point control message including the event message.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the point-to-point control protocol is a peripheral control interconnect express (PCIe) protocol; and
the packet sw

Assignees

• Marvell Int Ltd

Inventors

• Elmaliah Ilan

Classifications

• H04L41/0226

  Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols · CPC title

• H04L9/40

  Network security protocols · CPC title

• G06F13/4022 Primary

  using switching circuits, e.g. switching matrix, connection or expansion network (G06F13/4009 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L29/06

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L41/0246 Primary

  Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols · CPC title