Abstract:
An arrangement in a network device for facilitating multiple connection speeds with a network is provided. The arrangement includes a set of network ports that includes a set of input network ports for receiving data traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting the data traffic from the network device. The arrangement also includes a logic component configured for managing the data traffic and for aggregating the data traffic. The arrangement further includes a monitoring port that is configured to receive the aggregated data traffic. The arrangement also includes a plurality of physical layer interfaces, wherein each physical layer interface is configured to support the multiple connection speeds. The arrangement moreover includes a media access controller that is configured to support at least a single connection speed of the multiple connection speeds.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application is a continuation application and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to a commonly assigned application entitled “Enhanced Communication Network Tap Port Aggregator Arrangement and Methods Thereof,” by Matityahu et al., application Ser. No. 11/835,228, filed on Aug. 7, 2007, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,984 on Mar. 1, 2011, which is all incorporated by reference herein. No new subject matter has been added. 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention is related to the following applications, all of which are incorporated herein by reference: 
     Commonly assigned application entitled “Intelligent Communications Network Tap Port Aggregator,” filed on Mar. 7, 2006 herewith by Matityahu et al. as application Ser. No. 11/370,487; and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,760,859, on Jul. 20, 2010. 
     Commonly assigned application entitled “Active Response Communications Network Tap,” filed on Jul. 1, 2005 herewith by Matityahu et al. as application Ser. No. 11/174,033, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,320,242 on Nov. 27, 2012. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Telecommunication networks have long been employed to facilitate communication between users who are geographically dispersed. Communication may include transmission of data packets, such as media and voice packets, between a plurality of network devices, such as routers and switches. In today society, a company may depend upon its network to be fully functionally in order to conduct business. Thus, a company may monitor its network in order to ensure reliable performance, enable fault detection, and detect unauthorized activities. 
     Monitoring may be performed by connecting network taps to the networks to gather information about the data traffic in order to share the information with monitoring tools. However, conventional network taps may employ a store-and-forward technique that may cause delay in the network traffic, thereby creating communication latency. In addition, since data traffic may flow into a port of a network device in a bidirectional manner, full-duplex monitoring may require a second network interface card (NIC). Besides increasing the cost of monitoring, a second NIC may cause the configuration of the monitoring system to become more complex and less flexible. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates, in an embodiment, to an arrangement in a network device for facilitating multiple connection speeds with a network. The arrangement includes a set of network ports. The set of network ports includes a set of input network ports for receiving data traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting the data traffic from the network device. The arrangement also includes a monitoring port, which is configured to receive aggregated data traffic from the set of network ports. The aggregated data traffic is aggregated by an aggregator. The arrangement further includes a plurality of physical layer interface (PHY). Each PHY of the plurality of PHY is configured to support multiple speeds. The arrangement yet also includes a media access controller (MAC), which is configured to support the multiple speeds, whereas the data traffic is configured to traverse the network device between the set of input network ports and the set of output network ports irrespective whether power is provided to circuitry of the network device. 
     The invention also relates, in an embodiment, to an arrangement in a network device for facilitating active response between a monitoring device and an end-device. The arrangement includes a set of network ports, which includes a set of input network ports for receiving data traffic and a set of output network ports for outputting the data traffic from the network device. The arrangement also includes a monitoring port, which is configured to transmit a set of instructions from the monitoring device coupled to the monitoring port. The arrangement further includes logic arrangement for receiving and multicasting the set of instructions, whereas the data traffic is configured to traverse the network device between the set of input network ports and the set of output network ports irrespective whether power is provided to circuitry of the network device. 
     The invention yet also relates, in an embodiment, to an arrangement in a network device for facilitating power over Ethernet (POE) over a network. The arrangement includes a first network port, which is configured to receive a signal that includes data packets and power packets. The arrangement also includes a second network port, which is configured to receive the signal from the first network port. The arrangement further includes a tap structure, which is configured to couple to the first network port and the second network port to receive the data packets, whereas data traffic is configured to traverse the network device between the set of input network ports and the set of output network ports irrespective whether power is provided to circuitry of the network device. 
     The above summary relates to only one of the many embodiments of the invention disclosed herein and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the claims herein. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a simple block diagram of a port aggregator. 
         FIG. 2  shows, in an embodiment of the invention, a simple block diagram illustrating a multiple speeds PHY (physical interface layer) and MAC (media access controller). 
         FIG. 3  shows, in an embodiment invention, a simple block diagram illustrating a port aggregator with active response functionality. 
         FIG. 4  shows, in an embodiment of the invention, a simple schematic of a port aggregator with power over Ethernet (POE). 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to a few embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. 
     Various embodiments are described hereinbelow, including methods and techniques. It should be kept in mind that the invention might also cover articles of manufacture that includes a computer readable medium on which computer-readable instructions for carrying out embodiments of the inventive technique are stored. The computer readable medium may include, for example, semiconductor, magnetic, opto-magnetic, optical, or other forms of computer readable medium for storing computer readable code. Further, the invention may also cover apparatuses for practicing embodiments of the invention. Such apparatus may include circuits, dedicated and/or programmable, to carry out tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention. Examples of such apparatus include a general-purpose computer and/or a dedicated computing device when appropriately programmed and may include a combination of a computer/computing device and dedicated/programmable circuits adapted for the various tasks pertaining to embodiments of the invention. 
     As aforementioned, a company&#39;s network is an important asset to the company. The network needs to be working properly in order for the company to conduct business. The company may monitor the network in order to ensure reliability and security of the network. Unlike more conventional network tapping methods, which may cause delay in the network traffic, the network device with port aggregation is able to provide full-duplex monitoring with zero-delay. In addition, since the network device with port aggregation is capable of aggregating stream of data traffic, full-duplex monitoring may occur without incurring the additional cost of a second network interface card (NIC). 
     To facilitate discussion, prior art  FIG. 1  shows a simple block diagram of a port aggregator. A port aggregator  100  may include a set of network ports ( 102  and  104 ) for transmitting and receiving data traffic and a monitor port  106 . Consider the situation wherein, for example, a stream of data packets  150  is being received by port aggregator  100 . In an example, stream of data packets  150  may be received by a first network port  102 . Stream of data packets  150  may flow from first network port  102  through a network line  108  to a switch  110 . Switch  110  may be a mechanical switch that may be employed to create a bypass route  112  to a second network port  104  when the power to power aggregator  100  is off. Similarly, second network port  104  may also receive a second incoming stream of data packets  152  and may route stream of data packets  152  along a network line  114  through a switch  116  to first network port  102  via bypass route  112 . 
     As can be appreciated from the foregoing, power aggregator  100  is a discrete network tap. In other words, power aggregator  100  enables data traffic to continue to flow between network devices irrespective whether power is available to enable the circuitry of power aggregator  100  (as shown by the bypass route  112 ). Thus, data traffic is not disrupted even if power is not available to enable power aggregator  100  to perform its monitoring function. 
     If power is on for port aggregator  100 , then the set of switches ( 110  and  116 ) may route the incoming data traffic through an FPGA (field-programmable gate array)  124 . In the example above, stream of data packets  150  has been received by switch  110 . Since power is on, switch  110  may transport stream of data packets  150  to a PHY (physical layer interface)  120 . As discussed herein, a PHY refers to an integrated circuit that may be employed to interface with a media access controller (MAC). Upon receiving the data traffic, PHY  120  may send stream of data packets  150  to a MAC  122 . Stream of data packets  150  may be received by MAC  122  and sent along to FPGA  124 . 
     At FPGA  124 , for data traffic flowing from first network port  102 , FPGA  124  may create a loop to enable stream of data packets  150  to continue flowing to second network port  104 . Similarly, stream of data packets  152  coming from second network port  104  may flow along network line  114  through switch  116  to a PHY  126  and MAC  122  to FPGA  124 . Upon receiving stream of data packets  152 , FPGA  124  may create a loop and send stream of data packets  152  downstream to first network port  102 . 
     To monitor the streams of data packets that may be received by the network ports, an aggregator component  118  may be employed to tap network lines  108  and  114 , as the paths flow through FPGA  124 . In other words, streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) from the network ports ( 102  and  104 ) may be aggregated by aggregator component  118  from within FPGA  124  to be sent onward to a monitor device, which may be associated with monitor port  106 . A copy of the streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) may be forwarded to aggregator component  118  along a monitor path  128 , for stream of data packets  150 , and a monitor path  130 , for stream of data packets  152 . 
     To facilitate network traffic management, a memory buffer may be associated with each monitor path. In an example, streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) flowing through monitor paths  128  and  130  may be temporarily store in memory buffers  132  and  134 , respectively. Streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) may flow from the memory buffers to FPGA  124 . FPGA  124  may employ an arbitration algorithm to determine the order in which the streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) may be processed. In an example, a round-robin method may be employed in which streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) from memory butlers  132  and  134  may be alternately handled. If streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) are received at the same time, data traffic from one memory buffer may be given higher priority. In an example, FPGA may be configured to give higher priority to stream of data packets  150  coming from memory buffer  132 . 
     Once streams of data packets are received by aggregator component  118 , aggregator component  118  may aggregate streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) into a single aggregate stream of data packets  154  and forward the aggregate data traffic along a line  136  through MAC  122  and a PHY  138  to monitor port  106 . 
     If the streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) are coming in at a faster rate than the memory buffers can handle, such that the memory buffers become full, then the streams of data packets ( 150  and  152 ) may be directed away from the monitoring paths. In an example, if memory buffer  132  is full, then any additional data packets coming in from network line  108  may be dropped from monitoring path  128  until memory buffer  132  has cleared out sufficient memory space to handle additional data packets. Note that the data packets that are being dropped are only being dropped from the monitoring paths ( 128  and  130 ) and not from the network lines ( 108  and  114 ). In other words, the original data packets are still being transported between the two network ports but the original data packets are not being copied and forwarded to the monitoring device along the monitor paths ( 128  and  130 ) when memory buffer overflow occurs. Also, data packets may only be dropped from a monitor path if the memory buffer associated with that monitor path is full. In an example, if memory buffer  132  is full but memory buffer  134  is not, then only data traffic that may be intended for memory buffer  132  may be dropped 
     To expand the capability of the port aggregator, additional features may be provided. 
     In accordance with embodiments of the present invention, an enhanced communication network tap (ECNT) port aggregator is provided. Embodiments of the invention include expanding the port aggregator to accommodate different Ethernet speeds. Embodiments of the invention also include adding an active response functionality to the port aggregator in order to allow a monitoring device the capability of communicating back into the network by full-duplex communication. Embodiments of the invention further include implementing power over Ethernet (POE) in order to send power through the internet. Embodiments of the invention yet also including a dropped packet counter for identifying packets dropped during monitoring. 
     In this document, various implementations may be discussed using routers as an example. This invention, however, is not limited to routers and may include other network devices such as switches and hubs. Instead, the discussions are meant as examples and the invention is not limited by the examples presented. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, an ECNT port aggregator may provide support for multiple Ethernet speeds as a single unit. To enable this functionality, the ECNT port aggregator may include electrical components, such as PHYs and a MAC, that are capable of supporting multiple speeds. In an example, a PHY may include logic for determining the best speed that an ECNT port aggregator may utilize. The logic may employ an auto-negotiation algorithm for determining the best speed based on the speed of the end-device. The logic may also employ a force mode method for determining the best speed. The force mode method may be based on a user&#39;s configuration preference. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, an ECNT port aggregator may include active response functionality. With active response, control packets, such as a TCP reset, may be sent back into the network to handle network conditions, such as anomalies. Thus, with active response, the monitoring capability may be expanded to enable a user, such as an IT administrator, to respond to adverse network conditions. 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, an ECNT port aggregator may also enhanced monitoring capability by employing a dropped packet counter. By implementing a dropped packet counter, statistical information about dropped packets due to memory buffer overflow may be collected and made available for later analysis. 
     In yet another embodiment of the invention, an ECNT port aggregator may also support POE. With POE, power may be distributed to network end-devices that may require electricity to function without incurring the additional cost associated with providing the power to the end-devices. Also, with POE, the ECNT port aggregator may be able to support incoming signals that may require POE functionality to reach the destination end-device. 
     The features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood with reference to the figures and discussions that follow. 
     Those skilled in the arts are aware that network communication may be conducted at different speeds, such as 10 megabits per second (mbps), 100 mbps, and 1000 mbps. To enable the ECNT port aggregator to support multiple speeds, the PHY and the MAC components that may be utilized may be able to support multiple speeds.  FIG. 2  shows, in an embodiment of the invention, a simple block diagram illustrating a multiple speeds PHY and MAC. 
     To enable a port aggregator to support multiple speeds, a multiple speeds PHY  202  may be employed. Multiple speeds PHY  202  may be a commercially available PHY, such as Marvel PHY 88E1111. In order for PHY  202  to perform link setup  210 , an algorithm may be employed. In an example, link setup  210  may be implemented by employing auto negotiation. With auto negation, PHY  202  may be able to determine the best speed for optimal performance. In an example, if PHY  202  is capable of supporting 10 mbps, 100 mbps, and 1000 mbps, then 1000 mbps is the best speed. However, 1000 mbps may not be applicable if the end-devices at both network ports are incapable of supporting this speed. Instead, the speed limitation may be based on the lower speed device. In an example, if one end-device is capable of supporting 1000 mbps and the other end-device is only capable of supporting 100 mbps, PHY  202  may be configured to operate at 100 mbps. 
     Instead of employing auto negotiation, PHY  202  may employ a force mode to determine the best speed rate. With the force mode, PHY  202  may be forced to operate at a specific speed, regardless of the speed an end-device may be capable of supporting. In an example, PHY  202  may be forced to operate at 100 mbps even though both end-devices may be capable of supporting 1000 mbps. 
     In an embodiment, a MAC  204 , which is connected to PHY  202  via lines  206  and  208 , may also be capable of supporting multiple speeds. Similar to PHY  202 , different link setup may be employed by MAC  204  to support multiple speeds. In an example, force mode may be employed to force MAC  204  to operate at a specific speed. 
     As can be appreciated from the foregoing, with PHYs and a MAC that is capable of supporting multiple speeds, the ECNT port aggregator may be configured to support end devices of different speeds. With the multiple speed enhancements, performance may be improved since the speed of operation that an ECNT port aggregator may be able to support may be adjusted to accommodate for the different end-devices. 
       FIG. 3  shows, in an embodiment invention, a simple block diagram illustrating a port aggregator  300  with active response functionality. As aforementioned, active response may be employed to enable the monitoring device connected to the monitor port of the port aggregator to communicate back into the network. 
     Consider the situation wherein, for example, a monitor device attached to a monitor port  302  may want to send a set of instructions via a stream of control packets  304  to network ports  306  and  308 . As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the type of control packets that may be sent back into the network may depend upon the capability and purpose of the monitor device. In an example, the monitor device at monitor port  302  may send a TCP reset. Stream of control packets  304  may flow from monitor port  302  along a monitor path  310  to a PHY  312 . Upon receiving stream of control packets  304 , PHY  312  may forward stream of control packets to a programmable component, such as a FPGA  316 , via a MAC  314 . 
     In an embodiment, FPGA  316  may include a bridge  318  that may be configured to receive incoming stream of control packets  304  and to multicast stream of control packets  304  back out to the end-devices at network ports  306  and  308 . Without bridge  318 , the port aggregator may not be able to transmit control packets coming from the monitor device. As can be appreciated from the foregoing, by modifying the port aggregator to include bridge  318 , the enhanced communication network tap port aggregator may now provide a path by which a monitor device may interact with the network ports in order to actively respond to network conditions. In an example, a user may be able to send a TCP reset when the user identifies an anomaly in the network traffic. 
     In an embodiment, FPGA  316  may be configured to multicast the incoming control packets to all network ports. In an example, stream of control packets may be intended for end-device located at network port  306 . Regardless of the intended final destination, FPGA  316  may be configured to multicast the stream of data packets to both network ports ( 306  and  308 ). Since the ECNT port aggregator provides a non-intrusive method for monitoring a network, the stream of data traffic may not be altered. Thus, FPGA  316  may multicast the incoming control packets out to all network ports and let the end-devices handled the control packet accordingly. In other words, stream of control packets may be sent along a network line  320  through a MAC  314 , a PHY  324 , and a switch  328  before being received by the end-device at monitor port  306 . Similarly, the same stream of control packets may be sent along a network line  322  through MAC  314 , a PHY  326 , and a switch  330  before arriving at port  308 . Since the control packet is intended for the end device at port  306 , upon receiving the control packet, the end device at port  306  may process the control packet whereas the end device at port  308  may ignore the control packet. 
     As can be appreciated from the foregoing, the ECNT port aggregator with active response may enable the user through the monitor port to send control packets back into the network. Thus, the user is able to actively respond to network situations that may adversely impact the network. As a result, the ECNT port aggregator may provide the user with an additional tool for monitoring and managing the network. 
       FIG. 4  shows, in an embodiment of the invention, a simple schematic of a port aggregator with power over Ethernet (POE). As discussed herein, POE refers to a system for transmitting power and data via an Ethernet network device to end-devices that may require power. In an example, IP (internet protocol) telephones may benefit from POE since IP telephones may receive and/or transmit data packets but may not always have access to an electrical outlet. 
     To provide power to remote devices, an ECNT port aggregator with POE functionality may be provided. An ECNT port aggregator may include a network port  402  and a network port  404 . Consider the situation wherein, for example, an Ethernet line is connected to network port  402 . A signal including data packets and power may be transfer from Ethernet line though network port  402  to network port  404 . In an example, a first set of connector pins (pins  1 - 2 , pins  3 - 6 , pins  4 - 5 , pins  7 - 8 ) from network port  402  may receive the signal from the Ethernet line. 
     To extract the data packets from the signal received from the Ethernet line, transformers may be employed to perform coupling between the first set of connector pins and a second set of connector pins (pins  1 ′- 2 ′, pins  3 ′- 6 ′, pins  4 ′- 5 ′, pins  7 ′- 8 ′). In an example, a transformer  406  may perform coupling between pins  1 - 2  and pins  1 ′- 2 ′. In the example of  FIG. 4 , the coupling is performed using magnetics. Note that magnetic coupling enable data packets to be transmitted from network port  402  to network port  404  via a set of switches, a set of PHY, a MAC and an FPGA as described in  FIG. 1  discussed above. 
     To transfer the power received by network port  402  to network  404 , center taps may be employed to create bridges between the transformers. In an example, a center tap  408  may be connected to transformer  406  of pins  1 - 2  of network port  402  to transfer power to a center tap  410 , which is connected to a transformer  412  of pins  1 - 2  of network port  404  to create a POE bypass route to transfer power between network port  402  and network port  404 . To facilitate the transfer of power, an inductor  430  may be utilized to make a connection between the two center taps ( 408  and  410 ). Inductor  430  may also be employed to perform low-pass filter in order to remove high-pass signals, thereby enabling only power to be transfer through the POE bypass route. 
     As can be appreciated from the forgoing, one or more embodiments of the present invention provide for an enhanced communication network tap (ECNT) power aggregator. With embodiments of the present invention, 1) devices of different Ethernet speeds may now be supported by a single unit, 2) power may sent on the same signal as a data packet in order to enable electrical devices to be operational without being actually plugged into an electrical outlet, 3) monitoring capability may be enhanced by accessing statistical data collected by a dropped packet counter, and 4) active response functionality to enable monitoring device the capability of communicating back into the network by full-duplex communication. With these additional features, the ECNT power aggregator increases efficiency while minimizing network costs. 
     While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. Although various examples are provided herein, it is intended that these examples be illustrative and not limiting with respect to the invention. 
     Also, the title and summary are provided herein for convenience and should not be used to construe the scope of the claims herein. Further, the abstract is written in a highly abbreviated form and is provided herein for convenience and thus should not be employed to construe or limit the overall invention, which is expressed in the claims. If the term “set” is employed herein, such term is intended to have its commonly understood mathematical meaning to cover zero, one, or more than one member. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.