Method, system and computer program product for facilitating the design and assignment of ethernet vlans

Abstract

A computer implemented method for facilitating creation of virtual local area networks (VLANs). The method includes: receiving a VLAN name, a class of service and two or more access ports; determining switches and trunks associated with the access ports; searching a VLAN database for the VLAN; and creating a VLAN if said searching does not result in locating the VLAN. The creating includes: selecting a starting access port from the two or more access ports; mapping a base path from the starting access port to another of the access ports, wherein the base path includes one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks; and adding the base path to the VLAN including the starting access port and said another of the access ports.

1 . A computer implemented method for facilitating creation of virtual local area networks (VLANs), the method comprising:
 receiving a VLAN name, a class of service and two or more access ports, the receiving at a computer;   determining switches and trunks associated with the access ports, the determining performed by the computer;   searching a VLAN database for the VLAN, the searching performed by the computer; and   creating a VLAN if said searching does not result in locating the VLAN, the creating performed by the computer and including:   selecting a starting access port from the two or more access ports,   mapping a base path from the starting access port to another of the access ports, wherein the base path includes one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks, and   adding the base path to the VLAN including the starting access port and said another of the access ports.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mapping a base path includes: selecting a pre-selected number of the two or more access ports;
 creating a list of least cost paths from the starting access port to each of the selected access ports, wherein each of the paths include one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks; and   selecting a longest length path from the list for the base path.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein each of the two or more access ports includes a corresponding bandwidth requirement and the mapping a base path further includes:
 determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to said another of the access ports; and   deleting a least cost path from the list in response to the least cost path not having capacity.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to said another of the access ports includes receiving capacity data from an operational support system. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein each of the two or more access ports includes a corresponding bandwidth requirement and the mapping a base path further includes:
 determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to said another of the access ports in the class of service; and   deleting a least cost path from the list in response to the least cost path not having capacity.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising for each of the two or more access ports not currently located in the VLAN:
 mapping a new path from the access port to one of the switches in the VLAN;   adding the new path to the VLAN including the access port; and   transmitting the VLAN to the VLAN database.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the mapping a new path includes:
 creating a list of one or more least cost paths from the access port to one of the switches located in the VLAN; and   selecting the shortest length path from the list for the new path, wherein if there is more than one shortest length path then selecting the one resulting in a lowest total hub value for the VLAN for the new path.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein each of the two or more access ports includes a corresponding bandwidth requirement and the mapping a new path further includes:
 determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to the access port; and   deleting a least cost path from the list in response to the least cost path not having capacity.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein calculating the total hub value includes:
 creating a list of least cost paths from each of the switches in the shortest length path to each of the switches in the VLAN; and   calculating a total bandwidth transport required by the list of least cost paths, wherein the total bandwidth transport required is the total hub value.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein each of the two or more access ports include a corresponding bandwidth requirement and the mapping a new path further includes:
 determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to the access port in the class of service; and   deleting a least cost path from the list in response to the least cost path not having capacity.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to the access port in the class of service includes receiving capacity data from an operational support system. 
   
   
       12 . A system for facilitating creation of virtual local area networks (VLANs), the system comprising:
 a computer memory; and   a processor in communication with the computer memory, the processor comprising an instruction fetching element for fetching instructions from memory and one or more execution elements for executing fetched instructions to perform a method comprising:   receiving a VLAN name, a class of service and two or more access ports;   determining switches and trunks associated with the access ports;   searching a VLAN database for the VLAN; and   creating a VLAN if said searching does not result in locating the VLAN, the creating including:   selecting a starting access port from the two or more access ports,   mapping a base path from the starting access port to another of the access ports, wherein the base path includes one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks, and   adding the base path to the VLAN including the starting access port and said another of the access ports.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the mapping a base path includes:
 selecting a pre-selected number of the two or more access ports;   creating a list of least cost paths from the starting access port to each of the selected access ports, wherein each of the paths include one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks; and   selecting a longest length path from the list for the base path.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein each of the two or more access ports includes a corresponding bandwidth requirement and the mapping a base path further includes:
 determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to said another of the access ports; and   deleting a least cost path from the list in response to the least cost path not having capacity.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the determining if each of the least cost paths in the list has capacity for the bandwidth requirement corresponding to said another of the access ports includes receiving capacity data from an operational support system. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the method further comprises for each of the two or more access ports not currently located in the VLAN:
 mapping a new path from the access port to one of the switches in the VLAN;   adding the new path to the VLAN including the access port; and   transmitting the VLAN to the VLAN database.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the mapping a new path includes:
 creating a list of one or more least cost paths from the access port to one of the switches located in the VLAN; and   selecting the shortest length path from the list for the new path, wherein if there is more than one shortest length path then selecting the one resulting in a lowest total hub value for the VLAN for the new path.   
   
   
       18 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for facilitating creation of virtual local area networks (VLANs), wherein the computer-executable instructions when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a VLAN name, a class of service and two or more access ports;   determining switches and trunks associated with the access ports;   searching a VLAN database for the VLAN; and   creating a VLAN if said searching does not result in locating the VLAN, the creating including:   selecting a starting access port from the two or more access ports,   mapping a base path from the starting access port to another of the access ports, wherein the base path includes one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks, and   adding the base path to the VLAN including the starting access port and said another of the access ports.   
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18  wherein the mapping a base path includes:
 selecting a pre-selected number of the two or more access ports;   creating a list of least cost paths from the starting access port to each of the selected access ports, wherein each of the paths include one or more of the switches and one or more of the trunks; and   selecting a longest length path from the list for the base path.   
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises for each of the two or more access ports not currently located in the VLAN:
 mapping a new path from the access port to one of the switches in the VLAN;   adding the new path to the VLAN including the access port; and   transmitting the VLAN to the VLAN database.