Intelligent distribution frame and network rack

Abstract

The invention provides an intelligent distribution frame and a network rack. The intelligent distribution frame is applied to a network rack and comprises one or more first ports which are connected with one or more second ports of network equipment installed in the network rack through cables in a one-to-one correspondence mode, and the one or more first ports are used for being connected with opposite-end equipment outside the network rack through cables; the communication unit is configured to obtain a port mapping relationship between the one or more first ports of the intelligent distribution frame and the one or more second ports of the network equipment; and the display unit is configured to display the port mapping relation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of network communication technology, specifically to an intelligent patch panel and a network rack. Background Technology

[0002] Network racks are an important component of network cabling infrastructure in data centers. Network racks typically have a frame structure that mechanically secures and houses network equipment, providing stable installation conditions and a good operating environment for the devices. Patch panels can be integrated into network racks, handling cable termination, distribution, and management.

[0003] However, when multiple network devices reside within a network rack, issues such as dense cabling, crisscrossing routes, and unclear labeling often arise, leading to poor visibility of physical connections and a chaotic cabling structure. Network administrators must rely on manual verification and on-site inspections to regularly maintain cable connection status, which is not only cumbersome and time-consuming but also prone to causing maintenance accidents due to operational errors. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in existing network racks and their patch panels. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems, this disclosure provides an intelligent patch panel and a network rack.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an intelligent patch panel for use in a network rack is provided, comprising: one or more first ports, which are connected one-to-one with one or more second ports of a network device installed in the network rack via cables, wherein the one or more first ports are used to connect to a peer device outside the network rack via cables; a communication unit configured to acquire a port mapping relationship between the one or more first ports of the intelligent patch panel and the one or more second ports of the network device; and a display unit configured to display the port mapping relationship.

[0006] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a network rack is provided, comprising: a housing for accommodating one or more network devices; and a smart patch panel as described above, the smart patch panel being mounted on the housing.

[0007] The intelligent patch panel provided according to the embodiments of this disclosure can automatically obtain and visualize the port mapping relationship between patch panel ports and network device ports, thereby reducing the management and maintenance costs of port mapping relationships and improving the convenience of network management. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to offer a further understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. The drawings, together with the embodiments of this disclosure, are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, unless explicitly indicated, the same reference numerals generally represent the same parts, steps, or elements.

[0009] Figure 1 Application scenarios of smart patch panels according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated;

[0010] Figure 2 An exemplary block diagram of a smart patch panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0011] Figure 3 An exemplary interactive interface provided by a smart patch panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0012] Figure 4 Exemplary scenarios are illustrated in which a smart patch panel communicates with network devices and / or a remote network management platform according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] Those skilled in the art will understand that the elements in the accompanying drawings are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the illustrations, block diagrams, or flowcharts may be exaggerated relative to other elements to aid in accurate understanding of this embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0014] The following detailed description is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While several exemplary embodiments are described in this disclosure, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, components and steps illustrated in the drawings may be replaced, added, or modified, and the exemplary methods described in this disclosure may be modified by replacing, reordering, deleting, or adding steps to the disclosed methods. Therefore, the following detailed description is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and examples. Rather, the appropriate scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims.

[0015] In the detailed description below, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of certain aspects. However, those skilled in the art will understand that some aspects can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, units, and / or circuits have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the discussion.

[0016] The use of terms such as “on one aspect,” “an aspect,” “example aspect,” and “various aspects” indicates that an aspect described in this way may include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every aspect necessarily includes the implementation of that specific feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, the repeated use of the phrase “on one aspect” does not necessarily refer to the same aspect, although it may.

[0017] As used in this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, ordinal adjectives such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used to describe general objects only to indicate different instances of similar objects mentioned, and are not intended to imply that the objects so described must have a given order in time, space, sequence, or any other way. Similarly, articles such as “a,” “an,” or “the” do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Words such as “connection” and “coupling” are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but also include direct or indirect electrical or communication connections.

[0018] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this disclosure described below can be combined with each other, as long as there is no conflict between them.

[0019] As mentioned above, network racks are an important component of network cabling facilities in computer rooms, providing stable installation conditions and a good working environment for network equipment.

[0020] In the context of this disclosure, the network rack also provides a patch panel. Ports of network devices within the network rack are connected to ports on the patch panel via cables, thereby establishing network connectivity with peer devices outside the network rack that are also connected to the patch panel. This allows network administrators to centrally manage the individual ports of network devices from the patch panel, without having to directly operate the network devices within the network rack.

[0021] This disclosure recognizes that when there are a large number of network devices or a large number of ports in a network rack, the cables within the rack often become tangled, bent, and poorly labeled. When network administrators inspect the cable connections in the network rack for network faults or routine maintenance, it is difficult to quickly and accurately determine the mapping relationship between patch panel ports and network device ports, resulting in a significant maintenance burden. Even when using paper labels or electronic mapping tables to record the mapping relationship between patch panel ports and network device ports, it becomes extremely difficult for network administrators to check the port mapping relationship if labels are accidentally dropped or damaged, or if the electronic mapping table is lost. Furthermore, once the port mapping relationship changes, network administrators must manually update the labels / electronic mapping table promptly. Therefore, the existing methods of managing port mapping relationships generate significant maintenance costs.

[0022] Figure 1 Application scenarios of smart patch panels according to embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the network rack 100 can accommodate one or more network devices 300, and the intelligent patch panel 200 can be installed in the frame of the network rack 100. Figure 1 This primarily illustrates a scenario where network devices 300 within a network rack 100 are connected to an intelligent patch panel 200 via cables. Specifically, the intelligent patch panel 200 provides one or more first ports 210. Furthermore, each network device 300 provides one or more second ports 310. On one side of the intelligent patch panel 200, the first ports 210 can be connected one-to-one with the second ports 310 of the network devices 300 via cables (e.g., patch cords), thereby establishing a communication link between the first ports 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 and the second ports 310 of the network devices 300. In this disclosure, the type of network device 300 is not specifically limited; the network device 300 can be, for example, various switches, routers, servers, etc., but is not limited to these. In this disclosure, the types of the first ports 210 and second ports 310 are not specifically limited; each first port 210 and second port 310 can include, for example, RJ45 interfaces, various fiber optic interfaces such as LC / SC / FC / ST, USB interfaces, etc., but is not limited to these. In addition, a portion of the second port 310 of the network device 300 may be equipped with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability, in which case the cable connecting the first port 210 and the second port 310 may also transmit power.

[0023] Furthermore, on the other side of the smart patch panel 200, the first port 210 can be connected via cable to the peer device 400 located outside the network rack 100. Thus, a communication link can be established between the peer device 400 and the second port 310 of the network device 300 via the first port 210 of the smart patch panel 200. In this disclosure, the type of peer device 400 is not specifically limited; the peer device 400 can be, for example, a computer, a network camera, a printer, a wireless access point, etc., but is not limited to these.

[0024] By knowing which first port 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 is connected to which second port 310 of the network device 300, i.e. the port mapping relationship between the first port 210 and the second port 310, network administrators can manage / maintain the network connection between the peer device 400 and the second port 310 of the network device 300 by operating the first port 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 accordingly, without having to operate the network device 300 inside the network rack 100.

[0025] Furthermore, as mentioned above, this disclosure recognizes that existing port mapping relationship management relies on paper labels, port mapping tables, etc. When port mapping relationships change, network administrators need to manually update and maintain them in a timely manner, and there are risks such as paper labels falling or being damaged, and port mapping tables being lost, resulting in significant maintenance costs.

[0026] The intelligent patch panel 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure can automatically acquire and visually display port mapping relationships, thereby effectively reducing maintenance costs for network administrators and improving the convenience of network management. Further combined with... Figure 2 and Figure 3 An intelligent patch panel 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 2 An exemplary block diagram of a smart patch panel 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 3 An exemplary interactive interface provided by a smart patch panel 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated.

[0027] In some embodiments, the smart patch panel 200 applied to the network rack 100 may include: one or more first ports 210, which are connected one-to-one with one or more second ports 310 of the network device 300 installed in the network rack 100 via cables, wherein the one or more first ports 210 are used to connect to a peer device 400 outside the network rack 100 via cables; a communication unit 220, configured to acquire the port mapping relationship between the one or more first ports 210 of the smart patch panel 200 and the one or more second ports 310 of the network device 300; and a display unit 230, configured to display the port mapping relationship between the one or more first ports 210 of the smart patch panel 200 and the one or more second ports 310 of the network device 300.

[0028] In this way, even if the network rack 100 contains a large number of network devices 300 and the network cable connections are messy, network administrators do not need to set up and maintain paper labels or port mapping tables to record port mapping relationships. Instead, they can simply use the display unit 230 of the intelligent patch panel 200 to accurately and quickly grasp the port mapping relationships. Furthermore, since the intelligent patch panel 200 ensures that the obtained port mapping relationships are consistent with the actual cable connections within the network rack 100, even if the cable connections between ports are changed, causing changes in the port mapping relationships, network administrators do not need to manually update the labels or port mapping tables. The intelligent patch panel 200 can automatically obtain the changed port mapping relationships, thereby reducing the maintenance burden on network administrators. Moreover, the intelligent patch panel 200 allows network administrators to avoid limiting the number of network devices 300 that the network rack 100 can accommodate, or the number of second ports 310 of each network device 300, due to the difficulty of maintaining port mapping relationships, thus making full use of the space of the network rack 100 and the port resources of the network devices 300.

[0029] As described above, on both sides of the intelligent patch panel 200, the first port 210 can be connected to the second port 310 of the network device 300 and the peer device 400, respectively, thereby realizing network connection between the second port 310 of the network device 300 and the peer device 400. More specifically, according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the first port 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 can be connected to cables from different devices on both sides, and an electrical path is formed internally. As an example, the second port 310 of the network device 300 inside the network rack 100 can be connected to the side of the first port 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 facing away from the operator via a cable, and the peer device 400 outside the network rack 100 can be connected to the side of the first port 210 facing the operator via a cable. Of course, the reverse is also possible.

[0030] In some embodiments, the communication unit 220 can obtain port mapping relationships via wired communication. As an exemplary implementation, the communication unit 220 may include: a microcontroller (MCU) or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) as a control module; a dedicated interface for communicating with the network device 300; and a port detection circuit. The control module may support network management protocols such as serial commands, SSH, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), and Layer Link Discovery Protocol (LLDP), and control communication with the network device 300 based on these protocols. The dedicated interface may be, for example, an RJ45 interface, a USB interface, or a serial port, but is not limited to these. This dedicated interface can be connected to, for example, an out-of-band management port of the network device 300 via a cable. The port detection circuit can be used to detect whether any cables are inserted and connected at each of the first ports 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200. The control module can perform active polling based on the SNMP protocol at preset time intervals (e.g., 5-10 seconds), sending query requests to the network device 300 via the dedicated interface to obtain the port names and operating status (e.g., whether the port is open or connected) of each of the second ports 310 of the network device 300. When a cable is inserted into a first port 210 of the intelligent patch panel 200 and the port is connected, the port detection circuit can trigger an interrupt to notify the control module. Then, based on the changes in the port operating states of each second port 310 before and after receiving the notification from the port detection circuit, the control module can determine which second port 310 is connected to the first port 210, thereby obtaining or updating the port mapping relationship between the first port 210 and the second port 310. Furthermore, the control module can also receive SNMP-based Trap messages. The network device 300 can also be configured to report Trap messages to the control module of the communication unit 220 via a dedicated interface when the operating state of a second port 310 changes. The control module can obtain or update the port mapping relationship based on the Trap messages reported by the network device 300.

[0031] The intelligent patch panel 200 communicates with the network device 300 to ensure the accuracy of the port mapping relationships. In this way, network administrators no longer need to rely on paper labels or manual port mapping tables to record port mapping relationships, preventing disruptions to maintenance work due to errors in manual recording, lost or damaged paper labels, or missing port mapping tables. It also prevents errors in the creation of labels and port mapping tables from misleading network administrators. Furthermore, the port mapping relationships obtained by the intelligent patch panel 200 serve as an accurate reference for network administrators, preventing errors caused by relying solely on impressions or experience when connecting cables. Even for new network administrators without sufficient experience, the port mapping relationships obtained by the intelligent patch panel 200 allow for quick and easy completion of cable connection and management tasks. In addition, the intelligent patch panel 200 can communicate with the network device 300 in real time to display the latest port mapping relationship. Therefore, even if the cable between the first port 210 and the second port 310 is adjusted, the network administrator does not need to manually update the paper labels or port mapping table, eliminating the tedious work of replacing / updating paper labels / port mapping tables.

[0032] In some implementations, the communication unit 220 may not provide a dedicated interface, but instead utilizes the cable connecting the first port 210 and the second port 310 to obtain the port mapping relationship. In this case, the control module of the communication unit 220 can be implemented as a network processor, listening for LLDP packets transmitted via each of the first ports 210 from the network device 300. These LLDP packets may include information such as the port name and port description of the second port 310 of the network device 300. The communication unit 220 can obtain the port mapping relationship between the first port 210 and the second port 310 by parsing these LLDP packets.

[0033] In other implementations, the communication unit 220 can also obtain port mapping relationships via wireless communication. For example, the control module of the communication unit 220 can be implemented as a wireless communication module such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Near Field Communication (NFC) to establish wireless links with the corresponding wireless communication modules of each network device 300 within the network rack 100. In this case, similar to the wired communication method described above, the control module can send query requests to the network device 300 via the wireless link at preset time intervals to obtain the port names, connection statuses, etc., of each second port 310 of the network device 300. Based on the status changes of each second port 310 before and after receiving notification from the port detection circuit, it can determine which second port 310 is connected to the first port 210, thereby obtaining or updating the port mapping relationship between the first port 210 and the second port 310.

[0034] Those skilled in the art will understand that the method by which the communication unit 220 obtains the port mapping relationship described above is merely an example, and other suitable methods for obtaining the port mapping relationship can also be used. Furthermore, the communication unit 220 can also simultaneously possess wired and wireless communication capabilities, switching between appropriate communication methods based on requirements for communication reliability and real-time performance, and the operating status of the network device 300.

[0035] After the communication unit 220 obtains the port mapping relationship, it can send the port mapping relationship to the display unit 230. The display unit 230 may include a display screen. In some implementations, the display unit 230 may include multiple display screens, each of which may correspond to a first port 210, displaying the port name of the first port 210 and the port name of the second port 310 connected to it, etc. Or, as... Figure 3 As shown, the display unit 230 may also include only one display screen to display the port mapping relationship between one or more first ports 210 and second ports 310. For example, in Figure 3 In the diagram, the port mapping shown by display unit 230 indicates that port 3 of the intelligent patch panel 200 is connected to port 12 of network device 1. Furthermore, display unit 230 may also include, for example, digital displays, indicator lights, etc.

[0036] Combination Figure 3 For example, when port 3 of the smart patch panel 200 is connected to port 12 of network device 1 via a cable, the communication unit 220 of the smart patch panel 200 obtains the corresponding information from network device 1, determines the port mapping relationship of port 3, and displays it in the display unit 230. Therefore, network administrators do not need to label port 3 of the smart patch panel 200 with information such as "port 12 of network device 1," nor do they need to check whether the actual cable connection matches the port mapping relationship recorded in paper labels or port mapping tables. Furthermore, if someone connects port 3 of the smart patch panel 200 to other ports of network device 1 by plugging and unplugging cables, the smart patch panel 200 can automatically obtain the changed port mapping relationship and display it through the display unit 230. Thus, network administrators no longer need to manually update paper labels or port mapping tables. According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the smart patch panel 200 allows network administrators to grasp port mapping relationships in real time, intuitively, and accurately, improving the convenience of network management and reducing maintenance costs.

[0037] In some embodiments, the display unit 230 may also be detachably mounted on the smart patch panel 200. In other words, the display unit 230 may not be integrally integrated into the smart patch panel 200, but rather can be movable, communicating with the smart patch panel 200 via wired or wireless means to obtain information such as port mapping relationships from the communication unit 220. For example, the display unit 230 may be a standalone display screen, mounted on the side panel of the network rack 100, and can be detached and carried by network administrators. In this way, network administrators can conveniently view the information provided by the smart patch panel 200 through the display unit 230.

[0038] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the display unit 230 may be configured to provide an interactive interface and display information based on commands input through the interactive interface. The display unit 230 may provide one or more touchscreens to display the interactive interface. For example, in Figure 3 In the example, the interactive interface provided by display unit 230 displays buttons such as "Switch Port," "View More," "Network Management," and "Exit," used to receive instructions from network administrators. Display unit 230 can update the displayed content based on the instructions entered by the network administrator. Of course, the interactive interface provided by display unit 230 is not limited to... Figure 3 For example, the display unit 230 can also sequentially display the port mapping relationships corresponding to each first port 210 of the smart patch panel 200 according to the instructions of the network administrator to slide the interactive interface. Alternatively, the display unit 230 is not limited to displaying the port mapping relationships according to the instructions of the network administrator, but can sequentially scroll to display the port mapping relationships corresponding to all first ports 210, etc.

[0039] The display unit 230 provides an interactive interface, allowing network administrators to easily interact with the smart patch panel 200.

[0040] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the interactive interface can also be provided on an external terminal device independent of the network rack 100. The external terminal device can be, for example, a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or other device with communication capabilities. In this case, the smart patch panel 200 may not provide a display unit 230, but instead communicates with the external terminal device via the communication unit 220 using wired or wireless communication, sending information to be displayed to the external terminal device for display. Additionally, the smart patch panel 200 can also receive commands input by network administrators via the interactive function of the external terminal device. The external terminal device sends the commands to the communication unit 220 via wired or wireless communication, and the communication unit 220 provides various information corresponding to the received commands.

[0041] Provided via an interactive interface independent of external terminal devices, the smart patch panel 200 eliminates the need for a display unit 230, helping to reduce its size and save space. Furthermore, network administrators can view various information provided by the smart patch panel 200 anytime, anywhere via external terminal devices and can remotely interact with it.

[0042] In addition to the port mapping relationship described above, the smart patch panel 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure can also acquire and display other information.

[0043] In some embodiments, the communication unit 220 is further configured to acquire the operating status of the network device 300 and / or one or more second ports 310, and the display unit 230 is further configured to display the operating status. The operating status of the network device 300 may include, for example, a power status indicating whether the network device 300 is powered on; a system operating status indicating whether the operating system of the network device 300 is running normally, starting up, crashed, or in debug mode; and a management interface response status indicating whether communication with the network device 300 is possible, and is not limited thereto. The operating status of the second port 310, as described above, may include, for example, whether the second port 310 has been opened / closed by an administrator, and whether communication with the second port 310 is possible, and is not limited thereto. For example, in Figure 3 In the example, the network administrator selects to view port 3 of the smart patch panel 200. The communication unit 220 obtains the port mapping relationship between port 3 of the smart patch panel 200 and port 12 of network device 1, and obtains that the system operation status of network device 1 is normal and the working status of its port 12 is open. The display unit 230 displays the corresponding information.

[0044] Similar to the method described above for obtaining port mapping relationships, the communication unit 220 can obtain the operating status of the network device 300 and / or the second port 310 via wired or wireless communication. In the case of wired communication, the communication unit 220 can obtain the operating status of the network device 300 and / or the second port 310, for example, through active polling based on the SNMP protocol, trap reception based on the SNMP protocol, or message listening on the first port 210 based on the LLDP protocol. In the case of wireless communication, the communication unit 220 can, for example, send the active polling data payload to the network device 300 via a wireless link and receive the response from the network device 300 via the wireless link. Those skilled in the art will understand that the methods by which the communication unit 220 obtains the operating status of the network device 300 and / or one or more second ports 310 are not limited to these. After obtaining the operating status of the network device 300 and / or one or more second ports 310, the display unit 230 can receive information indicating the operating status from the communication unit 220 and display it.

[0045] As an example, when a network failure occurs, the cause might be a network configuration error on the peer device 400 itself, a broken cable connection between the peer device 400 and the intelligent patch panel 200, a broken cable connection between the intelligent patch panel 200 and the port of network device 300, a port failure of network device 300, or a failure of network device 300 itself, requiring troubleshooting. In this situation, administrators can quickly determine whether network device 300 and / or its second port 310 are functioning correctly based on the information displayed on the intelligent patch panel 200, thereby shortening troubleshooting time. For example, if the intelligent patch panel 200 displays that a network device 300 is functioning normally, but the second port 310 used to connect the faulty peer device 400 is closed, network administrators can quickly determine that the corresponding second port 310 should be opened. As another example, if the intelligent patch panel 200 displays that a network device 300 is in a system crash state and the port is inaccessible, network administrators can quickly determine that network device 300 should be restarted, etc. For example, if the intelligent patch panel 200 displays that a network device 300 is functioning normally, but its corresponding port is not communicating, the network administrator can quickly determine whether the cable connection of that port is loose. Similarly, if the intelligent patch panel 200 displays that both network device 300 and its corresponding port are functioning normally, the network administrator can quickly determine that the network fault is not related to network device 300, and should instead focus on checking the peer device 400 and the communication link between the peer device 400 and the intelligent patch panel 200.

[0046] In this way, compared with existing technologies that require separate inspection of network devices and their ports, patch panels and their ports, and peer devices to determine the cause of a fault, network administrators can use the intelligent patch panel 200 to monitor the working status of the network devices 300 and / or the second ports 310 of the network devices 300 in real time and intuitively, reducing the workload of troubleshooting network faults and improving the convenience of network operation and maintenance.

[0047] In addition, in some embodiments, the communication unit 220 is also configured to acquire device information associated with the smart patch panel 200, and the display unit 230 is also configured to display the device information.

[0048] Specifically, the device information associated with the smart patch panel 200 can be various information related to each network device 300 and / or each peer device 400 connected via the smart patch panel 200. For example, the device information may include at least one of the following: identification information of the network device 300 and / or peer device 400, network address information of the network device 300 and / or peer device 400, link status information between the network device 300 and peer device 400, and power supply parameter information of the network device 300. The identification information of the network device 300 and / or peer device 400 may include, for example, the device name, device type, hardware version, firmware version, serial number, and Organization Unique Identifier (OUI) of the network device 300 and / or peer device 400. The network address information of the network device 300 and / or peer device 400 may include, for example, IP address, MAC address, Virtual LAN ID, subnet mask, and gateway address. The link status information between network device 300 and peer device 400 may include, for example, the physical connection status of the communication link, duplex mode, negotiation rate, and optical module transmit / receive power. Furthermore, it may include the real-time data transmission and reception rates, port traffic, bandwidth utilization, bit error rate, retransmission rate, and queue depth of each second port 310 of network device 300 and peer device 400. When network device 300 provides a second port 310 with PoE capability (also called a PoE port), the power supply parameter information of network device 300 may include, for example, the power supply power / voltage / current / power consumption level of each PoE port of network device 300, and the overall power supply power / voltage / current / power consumption level of network device 300. Moreover, the device information is not limited to the above.

[0049] exist Figure 3In the example, the smart patch panel 200 acquires and displays device information for network device 300 (number 1) and its connected peer device 400. More specifically, the smart patch panel 200 acquires and displays information such as network device 300 being a switch, the peer device being a network camera, the communication link between them being normal, the real-time communication rate being 300Kb / s, and the PoE power supply being 10W. Furthermore, using the interactive interface provided by the display unit 230, network administrators can, for example, input commands by clicking "View More," and the display unit 230 will display more acquired device information based on these commands.

[0050] In this way, network administrators can quickly and intuitively grasp more comprehensive equipment information of network devices 300 and / or peer devices 400 connected through the intelligent patch panel 200 based on the equipment information displayed by the intelligent patch panel 200, which can further improve the convenience of network management and reduce the workload when troubleshooting network faults.

[0051] In some implementations, the communication unit 220 may be configured to communicate with the network device 300 and / or a remote network management platform to obtain the aforementioned device information and send the obtained device information to the display unit 230. Figure 4 An exemplary scenario is illustrated where the intelligent patch panel 200 communicates with network device 300 and / or remote network management platform 500. For simplicity, Figure 4 Each network rack in the diagram shows only one smart patch panel and one network device, but the number of smart patch panels and network devices can be multiple. Furthermore, Figure 4 The text omits the specific cable connections between the smart patch panels within each network rack and the ports of the network devices, as well as the specific cable connections between the peer devices and the ports of the smart patch panels; it only uses arrowed lines to indicate the communication link between the devices at either end of the arrow. Figure 4The diagram illustrates a network containing multiple network racks 100a, 100b, and 100c (each an example of network rack 100, which are interchangeably referred to as network rack 100 unless explicitly distinguished). Each network rack includes intelligent patch panels 200a, 200b, and 200c (each an example of intelligent patch panel 200, which are interchangeably referred to as intelligent patch panel 200 unless explicitly distinguished) and network devices 300a, 300b, and 300c (each an example of intelligent patch panel 200, which are interchangeably referred to as intelligent patch panel 200) and network devices 300a, 300b, and 300c (each an example of intelligent patch panel 200, which are interchangeably referred to as intelligent patch panel 200) and network devices 300a, 300b, and 300c. In the example of patch panel 300 (which is also referred to as network device 300 interchangeably when there is no need to explicitly distinguish between them), correspondingly connected to peer devices 400a, 400b, and 400c (which are examples of peer devices 400, and are also referred to as peer devices 400 interchangeably when there is no need to explicitly distinguish between them). Each smart patch panel 200a, 200b, and 200c has a communication link with network devices 300a, 300b, and 300c within the network rack and with the remote network management platform 500, respectively. Furthermore, communication links can also exist between network devices in the network, for example... Figure 4 This illustrates a scenario where network device 300a and network device 300c have a communication link. Network device 300a and network device 300c can be, for example, an upstream switch and a downstream switch, but are not limited to this. Multiple network racks 100a, 100b, and 100c can be located in different geographical locations.

[0052] When each peer device 400 connects to and communicates with the network device 300, it can send its own various device information to the network device 300 according to the requirements of communication protocols such as the TCP / IP protocol stack, LLDP protocol, and network device vendor proprietary protocols. The various device information of the peer devices 400 and the network device 300 itself can be stored in the network device 300's Management Information Base (MIB). Therefore, the communication unit 220 of the intelligent patch panel 200 can, for example, send an MIB query request to the network device 300 based on the SNMP protocol to obtain various device information of the network device 300 and / or the peer devices 400.

[0053] Furthermore, the communication unit 220 of the intelligent patch panel 200 can also communicate with the remote network management platform 500 via wired or wireless means. The remote network management platform 500 can be, for example, a network management server in a cloud-based data center, storing / maintaining device information for various devices within the network. Moreover, and not limited to this, the remote network management platform 500 can also be, for example, an independent network controller, the upstream device among multiple network devices 300 in the network (e.g., the core switch among multiple network switches), or have network management functions, etc. This disclosure does not specifically limit the specific configuration of the remote network management platform. The intelligent patch panel 200 can obtain various device information from the remote network management platform 500 and can also upload various device information to the remote network management platform 500.

[0054] After acquiring device information, the communication unit 220 of the intelligent patch panel 200 can send the acquired device information to the display unit 230. The display unit 230 can display the device information.

[0055] In this way, network administrators can use the smart patch panel 200 to obtain more comprehensive device information about each network device 300 and / or peer device 400 associated with it in real time and intuitively.

[0056] Furthermore, in some embodiments, when the smart patch panel 200 communicates with the remote network management platform, the communication unit 220 of the smart patch panel 200 can also be configured to obtain network topology information of the network where the network device 300 is located from the remote network management platform and send the obtained network topology information to the display unit 230.

[0057] exist Figure 4 In the example, the smart patch panel 200a in the network can obtain, from the remote network management platform 500, the device information and corresponding connection relationships of the network devices 300a within its own network rack 100a, and the peer devices 400a connected to the network devices 300a. It can also obtain the device information and connection relationships of the smart patch panels 200b and 200c in the network where the network devices 300a reside, as well as the network devices 300b and 300c associated with them, and the peer devices 400b and 400c. This device information and connection relationships can constitute network topology information.

[0058] For example, taking network rack 100a as an example, the communication unit of intelligent patch panel 200a can proactively request network topology information from remote network management platform 500, or the remote network management platform 500 can synchronize network topology information with intelligent patch panel 200a at preset time intervals. In this way, intelligent patch panel 200a can interact with remote network management platform 500. Network administrators can grasp the overall network information even by only viewing intelligent patch panel 200a located at the network edge, without having to be physically present at remote network management platform 500, thus improving the convenience of network management. Furthermore, when network administrators are unable to access remote network management platform 500 due to network failures, they can still directly grasp various global network information through the network topology information presented by intelligent patch panel 200a, thereby increasing network redundancy.

[0059] Furthermore, the intelligent patch panel according to embodiments of this disclosure is not limited to serving as an information presentation node for port mapping relationships, device information, network topology information, etc., but can also serve as a network control node. Continuing in... Figure 2 and Figure 4 The structure of the intelligent patch panel 200 in this case will be described. In some embodiments, in addition to the first port 210, communication unit 220, and display unit 230 described above, the intelligent patch panel 200 may also include a control unit 240. The control unit 240 can be configured to control network devices and / or peer devices in the network based on network topology information and user instructions.

[0060] As an example, a network administrator located near network rack 100c wants to control network device 300a located in another city by disabling a specific port of network device 300a. The administrator can input a command to disable a specific port of network device 300a into the intelligent patch panel 200c. The control unit of the intelligent patch panel 200c can query the existence of network device 300a and its port based on network topology information, and determine the connection relationships of network device 300a within the network topology. For example, it might find that the port of network device 300a is connected to peer device 400a through a port of the intelligent patch panel 200a, and that network device 300a is connected to network device 300c, the remote network management platform 500, and so on. The control unit of the intelligent patch panel 200c can generate information to confirm whether the disable command should be executed, reminding the administrator that disabling the port may affect peer device 400a, and send this information to the display unit of the intelligent patch panel 200c for display. After receiving confirmation of execution from the network administrator, the control unit of the intelligent patch panel 200c can send information to the network device 300a to set the management status of the second port to disabled, based on a preset communication protocol (such as SNMP Set, etc., but not limited to this), through various means such as the remote network management platform 500 connected to the network device 300a in the network topology information, the network device 300c, etc.

[0061] As another example, a network administrator wants to view device information of a network device 300a located in another city on the intelligent patch panel 200c. However, the communication link between network device 300a and the remote network management platform 500 is faulty, and network device 300a cannot upload its own device information to the remote network management platform 500. In this case, the intelligent patch panel 200c can obtain network topology information from the remote network management platform 500. This network topology information indicates not only the communication link failure between network device 300a and the remote network management platform 500, but also that a communication link exists between network device 300c and network device 300a. In this case, the control module 240 of the intelligent patch panel 200c can, based on this network topology information, find the existing backup / redundant link in the network—that is, the communication link between network device 300c and network device 300a—and request device information from network device 300a through this communication link, and display it through the display unit 230.

[0062] In this way, by enabling network control functionality through the intelligent patch panel 200, network administrators can conveniently control network devices / peer devices within the network, without being limited by the actual geographical location of dedicated remote network management platforms. Furthermore, when the remote network management platform is inaccessible, the intelligent patch panel 200 also provides redundancy for network control functions, contributing to improved network system stability.

[0063] Furthermore, the smart patch panel according to embodiments of this disclosure may also have port connection verification and prompting functions. Continuing in conjunction with... Figure 2 The intelligent patch panel 200 in this case will be explained.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, in addition to the first port 210, communication unit 220, display unit 230, and control unit 240 mentioned above, the intelligent patch panel 200 may also include: a storage unit 250 configured to store preset connection rules between the peer device 400 and the second port 310 of the network device 300; and a processing unit 260 configured to determine, based on device information, whether the connection between the peer device 400 and the second port 310 of the network device 300 meets the preset connection rules, and when it is determined that the connection does not meet the preset connection rules, generate a first prompt message and send it to the display unit 230.

[0065] Preset connection rules can be used to restrict the connection between peer device 400 and the second port 310 of network device 300, preventing peer device 400 from connecting to an inappropriate second port 310. The first prompt information may, for example, indicate the port name (number) of the second port 310 of the inappropriately connected network device 300, the port name (number) of the first port 210 connected to the inappropriate second port 310, etc.

[0066] As an example, a preset connection rule can restrict a peer device 400 of a certain device type to only connect to a portion of the second ports of network device 300. For example, network device 300 may be a switch, where some of its second ports (e.g., port numbers 1-10) are not PoE-enabled, while others (e.g., port numbers 11-20) are PoE-enabled. If a peer device 400 is a network camera, it needs to communicate with network device 300 and also draw operating current from the PoE ports of network device 300. In this case, the preset connection rule could be that the peer device 400, which is a network camera, can only connect to the second ports of network device 300 (e.g., port numbers 11-20). Storage unit 250 stores this preset connection rule. When the communication unit 220 of intelligent patch panel 200 obtains device information from network device 300 and / or a remote network management platform, processing unit 260 can determine, based on the device information, whether the connection between the peer device 400 and the second ports of network device 300 satisfies the preset connection rule. For example, if the device information indicates that the device type of the peer device 400 is a network camera and it is connected to port 1 of the network device 300 (which has no PoE power supply capability), the processing unit 260 can determine that the connection between the peer device 400 and port 1 of the network device 300 does not meet the preset connection rules. Therefore, it generates a first prompt message to indicate that the connection of port 1 of the network device 300 is inappropriate and sends it to the display unit 230 for display.

[0067] As another example, network device 300 may be a switch, with a portion of its second ports (e.g., port numbers 1-10) having a maximum speed of 1000 Mbps, and another portion of its second ports (e.g., port numbers 11-20) having a maximum speed of 100 Mbps. A peer device 400 may be an industrial sensor (e.g., a temperature sensor) that requires only a lower negotiation rate (e.g., below 10 Mbps). In this case, the preset connection rule could be: the negotiation rate of the second ports of network device 300 (port numbers 1-10) should not be lower than 100 Mbps, thereby avoiding wasting the high-speed ports of network device 300. Storage unit 250 stores this preset connection rule. When the communication unit 220 of the intelligent patch panel 200 obtains device information from network device 300 and / or a remote network management platform, processing unit 260 can determine, based on the device information, whether the connection between peer device 400 and the second port 310 of network device 300 meets the preset connection rule. For example, if the device information indicates that the peer device 400 is connected to port 1 of the network device 300 and the negotiated speed with port 1 is 40M (less than 100M), the processing unit 260 can determine that the connection between the peer device 400 and port 1 of the network device 300 does not meet the preset connection rules. Therefore, it generates a first prompt message to indicate that the connection to port 1 of the network device 300 is inappropriate and sends it to the display unit 230 for display.

[0068] Those skilled in the art will understand that the preset connection rules are not limited to the examples above. Administrators can flexibly set preset connection rules according to the actual situation such as the hardware capabilities of the network devices accessing the network and the type of the peer devices, and store them in the storage unit 250 of the smart patch panel 200.

[0069] In this way, the intelligent patch panel 200 can automatically verify the proper connection between the peer device 400 and the second port 310 of the network device 300 based on the acquired device information, and indicate any improper connections at the second port 310. Administrators can quickly and intuitively identify and promptly adjust any improperly connected second ports 310 through the display unit 230 of the intelligent patch panel 200, thereby avoiding problems such as the peer device 400 malfunctioning or wasting hardware resources on the second port 310, and improving the convenience of network management.

[0070] Furthermore, not limited to the above, in some embodiments, the storage unit 250 of the intelligent patch panel 200 may also be configured to store a preset port mapping relationship between one or more first ports 210 and one or more second ports 310; the processing unit 260 may also be configured to obtain the port mapping relationship from the communication unit 220, determine whether the obtained port mapping relationship is consistent with the preset port mapping relationship, and when it is determined that the obtained port mapping relationship is inconsistent with the preset port mapping relationship, generate a second prompt message and send it to the display unit 230.

[0071] A preset port mapping relationship can be used to restrict the connection between the first port 210 and the second port 310. The second prompt information may include, for example, the numbers of the improperly connected first port 210 and second port 320. Optionally, it may also include the correct first port 210 and second port 320 numbers based on the preset port mapping relationship as a reference for network administrators to correct the connection. For example, a peer device 400 connected to a different second port 310 of network device 300 may have different network permissions granted. Once the peer device 400 connects to another second port 310, network permission confusion will occur, causing network security problems. The preset port mapping relationship can avoid such problems. Specifically, for example, if the cable connecting a first port 210 of the smart patch panel 200 to a second port 310 of the network device 300 accidentally comes loose, and the network administrator wants to reconnect the cable but mistakenly connects another first port 210 or second port 310, the port mapping relationship obtained by the communication unit 220 of the smart patch panel 200 will change. Therefore, the storage unit 250 of the intelligent patch panel 200 can pre-store the correct port mapping relationship (i.e., the preset port mapping relationship). After the communication unit 220 of the intelligent patch panel 200 obtains the port mapping relationship, the processing unit 260 compares the obtained port mapping relationship with the preset port mapping relationship and generates a prompt message when the two are inconsistent.

[0072] Network administrators can quickly locate the first port 210 with a connection error by using the prompts displayed on the display unit 230 of the intelligent patch panel 200, reducing the time cost of troubleshooting port connection errors. In addition, if the prompts displayed on the display unit 230 include preset port connection relationships, network administrators can also use this as a reference to quickly complete / correct the cable connections between ports when a new peer device 400 is connected to the network or when a port connection error occurs.

[0073] Furthermore, the intelligent patch panel 200 according to embodiments of this disclosure may also include an environmental information sensing unit 270, which measures at least one of the following environmental information of the network rack 100 where it is located: voltage, current, power, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, and ambient wind speed, and sends the measured environmental information to the display unit 230. More specifically, the network rack 100 can supply power to its internal network devices 300 through its built-in power supply (e.g., an uninterruptible power supply UPS) or the municipal power grid. Network administrators need to know the power supply voltage, current, and power when the network rack 100 supplies power to each network device 300 to ensure that each network device 300 works normally and to avoid damage to the network devices 300 due to excessive or insufficient voltage, current, or power, which could cause network failures. The environmental information sensing unit 270 of the intelligent patch panel 200 may include sensors for current, voltage, and power to collect environmental information such as power supply voltage, current, and power on the power supply lines of the network rack 100. Not limited to this, the network rack 100 needs to provide a good ventilation and heat dissipation environment for each network device 300 inside it to avoid affecting the lifespan of the network devices 300 and causing performance degradation due to excessive temperature, excessive humidity, etc. The environmental information sensing unit 270 of the intelligent patch panel 200 may also include sensors such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed to collect relevant environmental information. Furthermore, the environmental information is not limited to the above. The display unit 230 can display at least one of the collected environmental information. Figure 3 In the example, display unit 230 displays, for instance, temperature, power supply voltage, and power output. In this way, network administrators can quickly grasp the environmental information of the network rack 100 where the intelligent patch panel 200 is located. When the environmental information indicates that the current environment is unsuitable for the normal operation of various network devices 300, timely intervention or adjustment can be made. This helps to provide a good working environment for the various network devices 300 inside the network rack 100, reducing equipment and network failures caused by deteriorating working environments.

[0074] The intelligent patch panel according to embodiments of the present disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the various structures of the illustrated intelligent patch panel are merely for illustrating the functions of the intelligent patch panel and do not imply that the intelligent patch panel must have all the structures shown in the drawings. Some structures may be omitted, and the functions implemented by multiple structures may be integrated into one structure.

[0075] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a network rack is also provided, including a frame for accommodating one or more network devices; and an intelligent patch panel as described in the above embodiments, the intelligent patch panel being mounted on the frame. This disclosure does not particularly limit the material or specific structure of the network rack. The network rack can be, for example, a frame structure, with the aforementioned intelligent patch panel and / or network devices fixedly mounted on a metal frame, or a cabinet structure with side panels, cabinet doors, etc. A network rack equipped with an intelligent patch panel according to embodiments of this disclosure can provide a good working environment for network devices.

[0076] Unless otherwise stated, terms such as “if,” “when,” and “although” should be interpreted as “under the condition of,” rather than implying an immediate temporal relationship or response. That is, these phrases, such as “when,” do not imply an immediate action in response to an action occurring or during an action, but merely imply that the action will occur if the condition is met, without requiring a specific or immediate time constraint for the action to occur. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” include any combination of A, B, and / or C, and may include multiple A, multiple B, or multiple C. Combinations such as “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” “at least one of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” and “A, B, C, or any combination thereof” can be only A, only B, only C, A and B, A and C, B and C, or A, B, and C, where any such combination may contain one or more members of A, B, or C.

[0077] It should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the possible structures, functions, and operations of the methods and apparatus according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, a program segment, or a portion of code containing at least one executable instruction for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative embodiments, the functions described in a block may occur in a different order than those described in the accompanying drawings. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, may be implemented by a dedicated hardware system that performs the specified function or operation, or by a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0078] The various embodiments described in this disclosure are for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terminology used in this disclosure is chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, or improvements to techniques found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0079] Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word “comprising” and variations thereof, such as “comprising” and “including,” means “including, but not limited to,” and are not intended to exclude, for example, other additives, components, integers, or steps. “Exemplary” means “an example of a preferred or ideal implementation and is not intended to convey its indication.” “Like” is not used in a limiting sense but for interpretative purposes.

Claims

1. An intelligent patch panel for use in network racks, comprising: One or more first ports are connected one-to-one with one or more second ports of network devices installed in the network rack via cables, wherein the one or more first ports are used to connect to peer devices outside the network rack via cables; A communication unit is configured to acquire a port mapping relationship between one or more first ports of the smart patch panel and one or more second ports of the network device; and The display unit is configured to display the port mapping relationship.

2. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 1, wherein, The communication unit is also configured to acquire the operating status of the network device and / or the one or more second ports. The display unit is also configured to display the operating status.

3. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 2, wherein, The communication unit is also configured to acquire device information associated with the network rack. The display unit is also configured to display the device information. The device information includes at least one of the following: the identity information of the network device and / or the peer device, the network address information of the network device and / or the peer device, the link status information between the network device and the peer device, and the power supply parameter information of the network device.

4. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 3, wherein, The communication unit is also configured to communicate with the network device and / or remote network management platform to obtain the device information and send the obtained device information to the display unit.

5. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 4, wherein, The communication unit is also configured to obtain network topology information of the network where the network device is located from the remote network management platform. The acquired network topology information is sent to the display unit.

6. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 5, wherein, The intelligent patch panel also includes a control unit, which is configured to control network devices and / or peer devices in the network based on the network topology information and user instructions.

7. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 3, wherein, The intelligent patch panel also includes: The storage unit is configured to store preset connection rules between the peer device and the second port of the network device; and The processing unit is configured to determine, based on the device information, whether the connection between the peer device and the second port of the network device meets the preset connection rules, and when it is determined that the connection does not meet the preset connection rules, generate a first prompt message and send it to the display unit.

8. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 1, wherein, The intelligent patch panel also includes: The storage unit is configured to store a preset port mapping relationship between the one or more first ports and the one or more second ports; and The processing unit is configured to obtain the port mapping relationship from the communication unit, determine whether the obtained port mapping relationship is consistent with the preset port mapping relationship, and when it is determined that the obtained port mapping relationship is inconsistent with the preset port mapping relationship, generate a second prompt message and send it to the display unit.

9. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 1, wherein, The display unit is configured to provide an interactive interface and to display information based on commands input through the interactive interface.

10. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 9, wherein, The interactive interface is provided on an external terminal device independent of the network rack.

11. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 1, wherein, The display unit is detachably mounted on the smart patch panel.

12. The intelligent patch panel as described in claim 1, wherein, The intelligent patch panel also includes: An environmental information sensing unit is configured to measure at least one of the following environmental information of the network rack: voltage, current, power, ambient temperature, ambient humidity, and ambient wind speed, and send the measured environmental information to the display unit.

13. A network rack, comprising: A housing, used to house one or more network devices; as well as The intelligent patch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 12 is installed in the frame.

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