US 11,677,628 B2
Topology discovery between compute nodes and interconnect switches
Fred A. Bower, III, Durham, NC (US); Caihong Zhang, Shanghai (CN); Xiao Dong Du, Shanghai (CN); Patrick L. Caporale, Cary, NC (US); Jeffrey R. Hamilton, Pittsboro, NC (US); James J. Parsonese, Cary, NC (US); and Pravin Patel, Cary, NC (US)
Assigned to LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Filed by LENOVO ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD., Singapore (SG)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/839,536.
Prior Publication US 2019/0182117 A1, Jun. 13, 2019
Int. Cl. H04L 41/12 (2022.01); H04L 49/00 (2022.01); H04L 49/15 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 41/12 (2013.01) [H04L 49/15 (2013.01); H04L 49/30 (2013.01); H04L 49/70 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method comprising:
by program instructions on a computing device,
creating, on an interconnect switch, a virtual topology discovery device for a first port on the interconnect switch, wherein the first port on the interconnect switch is configured to connect a single compute node to the interconnect switch, wherein the interconnect switch is coupled to the compute node via the first port, wherein the virtual topology discovery device is a virtual device that comprises a port identifier for the first port and information describing other available endpoints within the interconnect switch, and wherein the virtual topology discovery device is a function within firmware for one selected from a group consisting of the interconnect switch and a management controller within an interconnect switch enclosure;
mapping the virtual topology discovery device to the first port;
receiving an inventory request from the compute node via the first port;
routing the inventory request to the virtual topology discovery device for the first port; and
sending, from the virtual topology discovery device for the first port, the port identifier to the compute node.