System and method to identify devices employing point-to-point-over Ethernet encapsulation
View Patent ↗A method and system for use in identifying customer premises equipment (CPE) in a distributed network are presented. The method utilizes a unique identifier provided by a CPE device to an access concentrator during the discovery stage of PPPoE communications in a distributed network. The access concentrator receives the unique identifier and stores the identifier in a database for use in identifying and managing CPE devices attached to a service provider's network. A system for identifying a communications device includes an access server and a database server. The access server is configured to receive an active discovery packet from a communications device. The active discovery packet has a tag comprising a device identifier field. The device identifier field is embedded in the tag by a module in the communications device, e.g., CPE device.
1. A method for identifying customer premises equipment in a distributed network, the method comprising:
generating a device identifier code that specifically identifies a product model of a customer premises equipment device in response to receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) packet communicated over the distributed network;
broadcasting a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery initiation (PADI) packet, wherein the PPPoE active discovery initiation (PADI) packet includes a tag, wherein the tag is based onto device identifier code;
receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery offer (PADO) packet;
transmitting a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery request (PADR) packet in response to receiving the PADO packet, wherein the PADR packet includes a tag that specifically identifies a product model of the customer premises device;
receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery session (PADS) packet; and
conducting an Ethernet communication session.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tag is a host-uniq tag.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device identifier code is a nine bit binary number.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer premises equipment is a device that terminates PPPoE communications.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery packet that includes the tag and storing a device identifier code that identifies the product model in a database.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet communication session is conducted via a distributed IP network.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet communication session is conducted via a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the point-to-point over Ethernet active discovery offer packet is received from a broadband remote access server.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet communication session is conducted via an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) connection.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the Ethernet communication session is conducted via an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) connection.
11. A method comprising:
sending a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery packet, wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet includes a tag that specifically identifies a product model of a customer premises equipment (CPE) device; and
generating a device identifier code based on the tag in response to receiving the PPPoE active discovery packet.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the tag is a host-uniq tag.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet is a PPPoE active discovery initiation (PADI) packet.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet is a PPPoE active discovery request (PADR) packet.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the customer premises equipment device is a router.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the customer premises equipment is a switch.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving a PPPoE active discovery packet.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet received is a PPPoE active discovery offer (PADO) packet.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet received is a PPPoE active discovery session (PADS) packet.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the customer premises equipment device is an asymmetric digital subscriber line router.
21. A method comprising:
receiving a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery packet, wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet includes a tag that identifies a product model of a customer premises equipment device; and
determining the product model of the customer premises equipment device based on the tag.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of determining further comprises storing the product model of the customer premises equipment device in a database.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising managing the database based upon the product model of the customer premises equipment device.
24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet is a PPPoE active discovery initiation (PADI) packet.
25. The method of claim 21 , wherein the PPPoE active discovery packet is a PPPoE active discovery request (PADR) packet.
26. A customer premises equipment (CPE) device comprising:
a network interface; and
a module coupled to the network interface, said module configured to transmit a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) active discovery packet including a tag, the tag comprising a device identifier field that uniquely identifies a CPE product model.
27. The customer premises equipment device of claim 26 , wherein the device identifier field comprises a predefined binary number.
28. The customer premises equipment device of claim 26 , wherein the tag is a host-uniq tag.
29. A system for identifying a communications device, the system comprising:
an access concentrator configured to receive an active discovery packet having a tag comprising a device identifier field, wherein the active discovery packet is arranged for transmission by a communications device capable of terminating a point-to-point connection, and wherein the communications device identifier field uniquely identifies a product model associated with the communications device; and
a database sever to store the device identifier field.
30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the point-to-point connection is a point-to-point over Ethernet (PPPoE) connection.
31. The system of claim 29 , wherein the access concentrator is a broadband remote access server.
32. A data packet for use in a distributed network, the data packet comprising:
an Ethertype payload field including a host-uniq tag value indicating a model type of a digital switching device.
33. The data packet of claim 32 , further comprising:
a service provider destination address, the service provider destination address associated with a destination node within the distributed network; and
a service provider source address, the service provider source address associated with a storage device at a source node within the distributed network.
34. The data packet of claim 33 , wherein the distributed network is an Ethernet distributed network.
35. The data packet of claim 33 , wherein the model type of the digital switching device is a nine bit binary device identifier code associated with customer premises equipment.