Patent ID: 7729294
Filing Date: 2010-06-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for discovering a network device, wherein a discovery procedure is executed via a Network Management Server (NMS) to discover at least one of the other network devices within a network system, the method executed by the NMS comprising: (A) starting the discovery procedure; (B) generating a discovery packet which comprises a command for requesting a network device to send back a corresponding Media Access Control (MAC) address; (C) transmitting the discovery packet; (D) receiving a response packet which is sent back by the network device corresponding to the discovery packet; (E) analyzing the response packet for collecting the MAC address in the response packet; and (F) updating a device information table according to the MAC address for identifying the network device; wherein the step (E) further comprises the following steps: (E1) checking if a signature included in the response packet is valid: if yes, go to step (E2); if not, go to step (E5); (E2) checking if a protocol version included in the response packet is valid; if yes, go to step (E3); if not, go to step (E5); (E3) checking if an interface version included in the response packet is valid; if yes, go to step (E4); if not, go to step (E5); (E4) collecting the MAC address included in the response packet, and going to the step (F); and (E5) discarding the response packet.