Transparent auto-negotiation of ethernet

Abstract

A system for negotiating Ethernet link settings between interconnected nodes in a network having an Ethernet protocol stack that includes a PCS sub-layer with an auto-negotiation function. The system comprises connecting an intermediate device coupled between two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces, with the link settings between each node and the connected intermediate device being the same, thereby bypassing the auto-negotiation of the PCS sub-layer in the intermediate device. The intermediate device may transparently send negotiation messages from each node to the other during the link negotiation phase without interacting with those messages. Instead of the intermediate device, a single form pluggable (SFP) device may be connected between the two network nodes via optical or copper interfaces on the network side and via an SFP slot on the device side.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to the transparent negotiation of Ethernet settings between a pair of end devices connected to each other via an intermediate device, where the intermediate device does not participate in the negotiation phase between the two end devices, but inherits the Ethernet settings negotiated by the two end devices and initializes its Ethernet ports according to the results of the negotiation between the two end devices.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]When inserting a new device in a network, particularly when the new device is inserted between a pair of devices that would otherwise be directly connected together over Ethernet, there is a risk that the new device may impact the results of a negotiation of the Ethernet settings between the original pair of devices.[0003]For instance, a disparity in the negotiation of the settings could occur when only one device is up when the intermediate device is started. This could result in the n...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]This method allows the negotiation of the Ethernet settings between a pair of devices attached to the intermediate device to take place without the intermediate device taking part in the auto-negotiation phase between the pair of devices attached to the Ethernet ports of the intermediate device. This is achieved by bypassing (or modifying) the auto-negotiation sub-module in the PCS sub-layer where the configuration codes received on one of the Ethernet port of the intermediate device are directly sent to the PCS sub-layer transmit function on the other port of the intermediate device, bypassing the auto-negotiation sub-module defined by the IEEE 802.3-2008 standard for these Ethernet ports.

Problems solved by technology

When inserting a new device in a network, particularly when the new device is inserted between a pair of devices that would otherwise be directly connected together over Ethernet, there is a risk that the new device may impact the results of a negotiation of the Ethernet settings between the original pair of devices.

For instance, a disparity in the negotiation of the settings could occur when only one device is up when the intermediate device is started.

Another problem to handle is when there is only a single device connected to the intermediate device at a given time.

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