Method and system for sideband communication architecture for supporting manageability over wireless lan (wlan)

Abstract

A management controller in a network device may support performing management operations based on management traffic communicated wirelessly via a wireless network controller of the network devices. The management controller may perform the management operations and/or to support wireless communication of the management traffic independent of operations of the network device. The management controller may be integrated into a network controller in the network device. The management traffic may comprise out-of-band (OOB) management related traffic. A direct interface may be established between the management controller and the wireless network controller, to support direct sideband communication between the management controller and the wireless network controller. The sideband interface may incorporate Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) and/or Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) interface. The management controller may control operations of the wireless network controller, by utilizing an embedded wireless controller driver.

1 . A method, comprising:
 handling by a management controller in a network device, management operations in said network device based on management traffic communicated wirelessly via a wireless network controller of said network devices, wherein said management controller is operable to perform said management operations and/or to support said wireless communication of said management traffic independent of operations of said network device.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said management controller is integrated within a network controller that handles wired based network traffic. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said management traffic comprises out-of-band (OOB) management traffic. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising establishing a direct interface between said management controller and said wireless network controller. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , comprising communicating at least a portion of said management traffic between said management controller and said wireless network controller via said direct interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , comprising establishing said direct interface based on Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) and/or Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) interface. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least a portion of said management traffic is routed via a host subsystem in said network device when said host subsystem is available; and   said routing comprises forwarding inbound management traffic received via said wireless network controller back to said wireless network controller for communication to said management controller.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising configuring said wireless network controller to provide direct pass-through routing of communicated network traffic to and/or from said management controller when a host subsystem in said network device is unavailable. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising controlling by said management controller operations of said wireless network controller. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said management controller comprises a wireless network controller driver for use during said controlling of operations of said wireless network controller. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a management controller of a network device, said one or more circuit being operable to handle management operations in said network device based on management traffic communicated wirelessly via a wireless network controller of said network devices, wherein said management controller is operable to perform said management operations and/or to support said wireless communication of said management traffic independent of operations of said network device.   
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said management controller is integrated within a network controller that handles wired based network traffic. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said management traffic comprises out-of-band (OOB) management traffic. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to establish a direct interface between said management controller and said wireless network controller. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to communicate at least a portion of said management traffic between said management controller and said wireless network controller via said direct interface. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to establish said direct interface based on Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) and/or Secure Digital Input Output (SDIO) interface. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least a portion of said management traffic is routed via a host subsystem in said network device when said host subsystem is available; and   said routing comprises forwarding inbound management traffic received via said wireless network controller back to said wireless network controller for communication to said management controller.   
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to configure said wireless network controller to provide direct pass-through routing of communicated network traffic to and/or from said management controller when a host subsystem in said network device is unavailable. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 11 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to control by said management controller operations of said wireless network controller. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein said management controller comprises a wireless network controller driver for use during said controlling of operations of said wireless network controller.