Automatic Host Network Configuration via Management Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual configuration of network interfaces for multiple hosts is cumbersome and error-prone, especially when hosts are coupled to multiple networks via separate physical or logical network interface cards.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where a management server automatically configures network interfaces of new hosts by obtaining and using network parameters from an existing host within the same network segment, either by broadcasting information or through a DHCP unit, reducing the need for manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual configuration is used for each host's network interface, then configuration accuracy can be maintained through administrator control, but the configuration process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming for large numbers of hosts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by extracting network configuration parameters from an existing host and using them to automatically configure new hosts. The management server retrieves parameters such as network identifiers, subnet masks, and gateway addresses from a reference host and applies these copied configurations to multiple new hosts, eliminating manual configuration for each host while maintaining consistency across the network infrastructure.
2Reliability
If manual configuration is performed for each host, then configuration accuracy can be ensured, but errors increase due to the repetitive and cumbersome nature of the process
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by enabling new hosts to automatically obtain their network configuration parameters without requiring administrator intervention for each host. The management server autonomously retrieves parameters from an existing host and applies them to new hosts, allowing the configuration process to serve itself rather than requiring continuous manual input, thereby reducing both time and potential for human error.
3Productivity
If automatic configuration is implemented using parameters from existing hosts, then configuration time is reduced and efficiency improves, but the system complexity increases due to the need for management servers and parameter extraction mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The management server applies universality by serving multiple functions: it monitors the network for new hosts, extracts configuration parameters from existing hosts, stores these parameters centrally, and distributes them to new hosts. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single versatile management server, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automated configuration capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for automatic network discovery for host configurations are described herein. A management server may receive a first message from a first host entering a network, where the first message includes a network identifier (ID) identifying a logical network coupled to a network interface card (NIC) of the first host. In response to the first message, the management server may automatically configure the NIC of the first host using one or more network configuration parameters of a second host based on the first message, where the second host has been coupled to the logical network prior to the first host.