IP Library Granted Patent US 10,873,496
Granted Patent B1
US 10,873,496 · App. 16/126,367 · Granted Dec 22, 2020

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for link status detection and remediation of network attached devices

Inventors: Howard William Winter (Romsey, GB); Peter John Richard Gilbert Bracewell (Isleworth, GB); Michael Christopher Van der Westhuizen (Horsham, GB)
Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
H04L41/0654G06F9/4403H04L43/0811
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,873,496
App. No.
16/126,367
Granted
Dec 22, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

The disclosed computer-implemented method may include encoding, by a first computing device, a control message by generating a sequence of network link statuses, monitoring, by a second computing device, the sequence of network link statuses, decoding, by the second computing device, the sequence of network link statuses, and remediating the second computing device based on the control message. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims (40)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

encoding, by a first computing device, a control message by generating a sequence of network link statuses;

monitoring, by a second computing device that is separate and remote from the first computing device, the sequence of network link statuses;

decoding, by the second computing device, the control message from the sequence of network link statuses; and

remediating the second computing device based on the control message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein remediating the second computing device based on the control message comprises cycling power to at least a portion of the second computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein remediating the second computing device based on the control message comprises rebooting a processor of the second computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein rebooting the processor of the second computing device comprises booting the processor from at least one of an alternate basic input/output system (BIOS), an alternate non-volatile memory, or an alternate boot device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the decoding and remediation are performed by a deterministic finite state machine device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device comprises a network switch.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the decoding and remediation are not performed by a general-purpose microprocessor executing computer-readable instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein monitoring, by the second computing device, the sequence of network link statuses comprises monitoring a shared medium communication network protocol.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the network protocol comprises an auto-negotiation protocol.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controlling a plurality of light emitting diodes with a signal pattern associated with the decoded control message.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

monitoring the signal pattern controlling the plurality of light emitting diodes;

determining the signal pattern is associated with the decoded control message; and

remediating the second computing device based on the control message.

12. A system comprising one or more physical processors and one or more memories coupled to one or more of the physical processors, the one or more memories comprising instructions operable when executed by the one or more physical processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising:

encoding, by a first computing device, a control message by generating a sequence of network link statuses;

monitoring, by a second computing device that is separate and remote from the first computing device, the sequence of network link statuses;

decoding, by the second computing device, the control message from the sequence of network link statuses; and

remediating the second computing device based on the control message.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein remediating the second computing device based on the control message comprises cycling power to at least a portion of the second computing device.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein remediating the second computing device based on the control message comprises rebooting a processor of the second computing device.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein rebooting the processor of the second computing device comprises booting the processor from at least one of an alternate basic input/output system (BIOS), an alternate non-volatile memory, or an alternate boot device.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the decoding and remediation are performed by a deterministic finite state machine device.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first computing device is a network switch.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the decoding and remediation are not performed by a general-purpose microprocessor executing computer-readable instructions.

19. The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

controlling a plurality of light emitting diodes with a signal pattern associated with the decoded control message;

monitoring the signal pattern controlling the plurality of light emitting diodes;

determining the signal pattern is associated with the decoded control message; and

remediating the second computing device based on the control message.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising:

computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

encode, by a first computing device, a control message by generating a sequence of network link statuses;

monitor, by a second computing device that is separate and remote from the first computing device, the sequence of network link statuses;

decode, by the second computing device, the control message from the sequence of network link statuses; and

remediate the second computing device based on the control message.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 18, 2022
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059191/0695 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COMMA OF ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 048787 FRAME: 0283. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT . Recorded Feb 1, 2022
From: WINTER, HOWARD WILLIAM; BRACEWELL, PETER JOHN RICHARD GILBERT; WESTHUIZEN, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER VAN DER
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 058917/0678 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: WINTER, HOWARD WILLIAM; BRACEWELL, PETER JOHN RICHARD GILBERT; WESTHUIZEN, MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER VAN DER
To: FACEBOOK, INC.,
Reel/Frame 048787/0283 →