Automated detection of media port protocols

Abstract

One example method of operation may include identifying data traffic on one or more ports of a switch, determining whether a protocol specific packet type is identified on any of the one or more ports, assigning one or more first ports with data traffic to a first protocol when the protocol specific packet type is identified, and assigning one or more second ports with data traffic to a second protocol different from the first protocol.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 assigning, for a temporary period of time, one or more first ports of a switch with data traffic to a first protocol when a protocol specific packet type is identified;   assigning one or more second ports of the switch with data traffic to a second protocol different from the first protocol; and   releasing the second protocol assignment of the one or more second ports after identifying no packets transmitted or received on the one or more second ports.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising
 storing the port assignments in a switch memory; and   monitoring port data traffic activity of the one or more ports for additional data traffic.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising
 when port activity has dropped below a data traffic threshold for one or more of the ports, releasing the port protocol assignment of the one or more ports.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising
 when the first protocol or second protocol specific packet type is present on any one of the one or more ports, assigning a default protocol type.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the protocol is multiple stream reservation protocol (MSRP). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising
 enabling port forwarding for ports assigned to the second protocol and for network device addresses which are assigned to the second protocol.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the network device addresses are multicast addresses. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor configured to
 assign, for a temporary period of time, one or more first ports of a switch with data traffic to a first protocol when a protocol specific packet type is identified; 
 assign one or more second ports of the switch with data traffic to a second protocol different from the first protocol; and 
 release the second protocol assignment of the one or more second ports after identifying no packets transmitted or received on the one or more second ports. 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 store the port assignments in a switch memory; and   monitor port data traffic activity of the one or more ports for additional data traffic.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 when port activity has dropped below a data traffic threshold for one or more of the ports, release the port protocol assignment of the one or more ports.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 when the first protocol or second protocol specific packet type is present on any one of the one or more ports, assign a default protocol type.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the protocol is multiple stream reservation protocol (MSRP). 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
 enable port forwarding for ports assigned to the second protocol and for network device addresses which are assigned to the second protocol.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the network device addresses are multicast addresses. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:
 assigning, for a temporary period of time, one or more first ports of a switch with data traffic to a first protocol when a protocol specific packet type is identified;   assigning one or more second ports of the switch with data traffic to a second protocol different from the first protocol; and   releasing the second protocol assignment of the one or more second ports after identifying no packets transmitted or received on the one or more second ports.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
 storing the port assignments in a switch memory; and   monitoring port data traffic activity of the one or more ports for additional data traffic.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
 when port activity has dropped below a data traffic threshold for one or more of the ports, releasing the port protocol assignment of the one or more ports.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
 when the first or second protocol specific packet type is present on any one of the one or more ports, assigning a default protocol type.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the protocol is multiple stream reservation protocol (MSRP). 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
 enabling port forwarding for ports assigned to the second protocol and for network device addresses which are assigned to the second protocol.