Netapp, Inc.

Adam Carter

John Allen Patterson

Derek John Leslie

Marc Wayne Brotherson

A technique is configured to utilize messages (e.g., frames) generated by a first layer of a protocol stack for a wireless network to configure network parameters associated with a second layer of the protocol stack for a wired network. The messages are illustratively beacon frames generated by a data link layer of a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack for a wireless network, and the network parameters are illustratively IP addresses associated with a network layer of the TCP/IP stack for a wired network. Notably, the beacon frames of the wireless network may be utilized for two-way communication exchange on a per node basis for each node in the wired network.

Assignment of network configuration for a wired network using a wireless network

A technique is configured to utilize frames generated by a first layer of a protocol stack for a first network to configure network parameters associated with a second layer of the protocol stack for a second network. The frames are illustratively beacon frames generated by a data link layer of a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) stack for a wireless network, and the network parameters are illustratively IP addresses associated with a network layer of the TCP/IP stack for a wired network. Notably, the beacon frames of the wireless network may be utilized for two-way communication exchange on a per node basis for each node in the wired network.

An initial node deployment to form a cluster involves execution of program code to begin discovering other nodes on a LAN that will constitute the cluster. A node initially starts processes to obtain information to transition from an unconfigured state to a configured state. The nodes on the LAN can execute a discovery process that facilitates forming and configuring of the cluster, but the discovered information is confined within the LAN. This effectively blocks cluster configuration until someone locally connects to a host and retrieves a node address. To remove this obstacle, a node image can include program code to detect a compliant target device and extract to the target device an address of a discovered node that is valid for remote cluster configuration. The target device can then be used to convey the extracted address to allow commencement of cluster configuration remotely.

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Louisville, CO, United States of America

Adam Carter