Automatic enabling or disabiling of auto-negotiation between network devices

Abstract

A first network device may determine a first auto-negotiation capability associated with the first network device. The first auto-negotiation capability may indicate whether the first network device is configured to establish a communication link with a second network device using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities. The first network device may determine a second auto-negotiation capability associated with the second network device. The second auto-negotiation capability may indicate whether the second network device is configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation of the transmission capabilities. The first network device may determine that an auto-negotiation process failed to establish the communication link between the first network device and the second network device. The first network device may enable or disable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the auto-negotiation process failed, and based on the first auto-negotiation capability and the second auto-negotiation capability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A first network device, comprising:
 one or more processors to:
 determine a first auto-negotiation capability associated with the first network device,
 the first auto-negotiation capability indicating whether the first network device is configured to establish a communication link with a second network device using auto-negotiation of one or more transmission capabilities; 
 
 determine a second auto-negotiation capability associated with the second network device,
 the second auto-negotiation capability indicating whether the second network device is configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation of the one or more transmission capabilities; 
 
 determine that an auto-negotiation process failed to establish the communication link between the first network device and the second network device; and 
 selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the auto-negotiation process failed, and further based on the first auto-negotiation capability and the second auto-negotiation capability. 
   
     
     
         2 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 determine, based on the second auto-negotiation capability, that the second network device is configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation; and   where the one or more processors, when selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device, are further to:
 enable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the second network device is configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation. 
   
     
     
         3 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 determine, based on the second auto-negotiation capability, that the second network device is not configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation; and   where the one or more processors, when selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device, are further to:
 disable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the second network device is not configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation. 
   
     
     
         4 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 determine that auto-negotiation is disabled on the first network device; and   where the one or more processors, when selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device, are further to:
 enable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that auto-negotiation is disabled on the first network device. 
   
     
     
         5 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 determine that auto-negotiation is enabled on the first network device; and   where the one or more processors, when selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device, are further to:
 disable auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that auto-negotiation is enabled on the first network device. 
   
     
     
         6 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 initiate a link establishment process after selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device,
 the link establishment process causing the first network device and the second network device to attempt to establish the communication link. 
   
     
     
         7 . The first network device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive, from the second network device, an auto-negotiation capability indicator,
 the auto-negotiation capability indicator indicating whether the second network device is configured to establish the communication link with the first network device using auto-negotiation of the one or more transmission capabilities; and 
   where the one or more processors, when determining the second auto-negotiation capability, are further to:
 determine the second auto-negotiation capability based on the auto-negotiation capability indicator. 
   
     
     
         8 . A computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive, from a remote network device, a remote auto-negotiation capability indicator,
 the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator indicating whether the remote network device is configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation; 
 
 store the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator as a stored remote auto-negotiation capability indicator; 
 determine that an auto-negotiation process failed to establish a communication link with the remote network device; 
 selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation based on determining that the auto-negotiation process failed, and further based on the stored remote auto-negotiation capability indicator; and 
 perform a link establishment process with the remote network device after selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation,
 the link establishment process including auto-negotiation when auto-negotiation has been enabled, or 
 the link establishment process not including auto-negotiation when auto-negotiation has been disabled. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator indicates that auto-negotiation is enabled on the remote network device;
 where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine, based on the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator, that the remote network device is configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation; and 
   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation, further cause the one or more processors to:
 enable auto-negotiation based on determining that the remote network device is configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation. 
   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator indicates that auto-negotiation is disabled on the remote network device;
 where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine, based on the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator, that the remote network device is not configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation; and 
   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation, further cause the one or more processors to:
 disable auto-negotiation based on determining that the remote network device is not configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation 
   
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator indicates that auto-negotiation is not supported by the remote network device;
 where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine, based on the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator, that the remote network device is not configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation; and 
   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation, further cause the one or more processors to:
 disable auto-negotiation based on determining that the remote network device is not configured to establish communication links with other network devices using auto-negotiation 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine whether automatic enabling or disabling of auto-negotiation is enabled; and   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation, further cause the one or more processors to:
 selectively enable or disable auto-negotiation based on determining whether automatic enabling or disabling of auto-negotiation is enabled. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 detect a wired connection with the remote network device;   request, via the wired connection, the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator; and   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to receive the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive the remote auto-negotiation capability indicator based on the request. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine to initiate the auto-negotiation process;   initialize an auto-negotiation timer based on determining to initiate the auto-negotiation process,
 the auto-negotiation timer indicating an amount of time that has elapsed since the auto-negotiation process began; 
   determine that the auto-negotiation timer has expired; and   where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to determine that the auto-negotiation process failed to establish the communication link, further cause the one or more processors to:
 determine that the auto-negotiation process failed to establish the communication link based on determining that the auto-negotiation timer has expired without the communication link being established. 
   
     
     
         15 . A method, comprising:
 determining, by a first network device, a first auto-negotiation capability associated with the first network device,
 the first auto-negotiation capability indicating whether the first network device is configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities; 
   determining, by the first network device, a second auto-negotiation capability associated with a second network device that is connected to the first network device,
 the second auto-negotiation capability indicating whether the second network device is configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities; 
   determining, by the first network device, that an auto-negotiation process has failed to establish a communication link between the first network device and the second network device;   selectively enabling or disabling, by the first network device, auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the auto-negotiation process has failed, and further based on the first auto-negotiation capability and the second auto-negotiation capability; and   performing, by the first network device, a link establishment process, to establish the communication link between the first network device and the second network device, based on selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the second auto-negotiation capability, that the second network device is configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities; and   where selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device further comprises:
 enabling auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the second network device is configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining, based on the second auto-negotiation capability, that the second network device is not configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities; and   where selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device further comprises:
 disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that the second network device is not configured to establish communication links using auto-negotiation of transmission capabilities. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining that auto-negotiation is disabled on the first network device; and   where selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device further comprises:
 enabling auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that auto-negotiation is disabled on the first network device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining that auto-negotiation is enabled on the first network device; and   where selectively enabling or disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device further comprises:
 disabling auto-negotiation on the first network device based on determining that auto-negotiation is enabled on the first network device. 
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , where determining the second auto-negotiation capability further comprises:
 requesting an auto-negotiation capability indicator from the second network device;   determining that a threshold amount of time has elapsed without receiving the auto-negotiation capability indicator from the second network device; and   determining the second auto-negotiation capability based on determining that the threshold amount of time has elapsed without receiving the auto-negotiation capability indicator from the second network device.