Discovery and Configuration of Network Devices via Data Link Layer Communications

1. A method comprising: discovering a network device that has connected to a data link layer of a network based on a discovery packet broadcast by the network device via the data link layer; and configuring the network device based on a response packet transmitted to the network device via the data link layer in response to discovering the network device, wherein configuring the network device comprises a management console determining configuration information for the network device and transmitting the first response packet having the media access control (MAC) address of the network device as a destination MAC address and having configuration information in a data payload; and interfacing with the management console to specify the configuration information for the network device subsequent to the network device transmitting the discovery packet, wherein configuring the network device comprises the management console transmitting the response packet with the configuration information responsive to the user interfacing with the management console.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: discovering the network device comprises: the network device broadcasting the discovery packet responsive to connecting to the data link layer, the discovery packet having a broadcast media access control (MAC) address as a destination MAC address, a MAC address of the network device as a source MAC address, and a specified value in a specified field to identify the discovery packet as a management-type packet; and a management console identifying the network device as having connected to the data link layer responsive to receiving the discovery packet and determining the discovery packet has the specified value in the specified field.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: the management console transmitting the response packet to the network device in response to the discovery packet.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the network device includes information identifying a device type of the network device in the discovery packet; and the management console determines the configuration information for the network device based on the device type identified by the discovery packet.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein: the data link layer comprises an Ethernet network; the discovery packet and the response packet comprise Ethernet packets; and the specified field comprises an Ether type field.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the network device broadcasting the discovery packet comprises the network device broadcasting the discovery packet after powering up and responsive to establishing a connection to the data link layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information includes at least one of: an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the network device; a login credential; an authentication configuration; and a firmware update.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the data link layer comprises an Ethernet network; and the discovery packet and the response packet comprise Ethernet packets.

9. An information handling system comprising: a network interface to connect to a network; a management controller coupled to the network interface, the management controller coupled to memory storing instructions that when executed cause the management controller to broadcast a discovery packet via a data link layer of the network responsive to establishing a connection to the data link layer of the network via the network interface, and to configure the information handling system based on configuration information contained in a response packet received via the data link layer, wherein the configuration information includes at least one of a login credential, an authentication configuration, and a firmware update.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 , wherein: the management controller is to configure the discovery packet to have a broadcast media access control (MAC) address as a destination MAC address, a MAC address of the information handling system as a source MAC address, and a specified value in a specified field to identify the discovery packet as a management-type packet.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 , wherein: the data link layer comprises an Ethernet network; the discovery packet and the response packet comprise Ethernet packets; and the specified field comprises an Ethertype field.

12. An information handling system comprising: a network interface to connect to a network; and a management controller coupled to the network interface, the management controller coupled to a memory storing instructions that when executed cause the management controller to identify a network device as having joined a data link layer of the network responsive to receiving a discovery packet broadcast by the network device via the data link layer, and to transmit to the network device via the data link layer a response packet comprising configuration information for the network device responsive to identifying the network device as having joined the data link layer, wherein the configuration information includes at least one of a login credential, an authentication configuration, and a firmware update.

13. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the management controller identifies the network device as having joined the data link layer responsive to determining the discovery packet is a management-type packet in response to the discovery packet having a predetermined value in a predetermined field.

14. The information handling system of claim 13 , wherein: the data link layer comprises an Ethernet network; the discovery packet and the response packet comprise Ethernet packets; and the specified field comprises an Ether type field.

15. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein: the discovery packet includes information identifying a device type of the network device; and the management controller is to determine the configuration information for the network device based on the device type identified by the discovery packet.

16. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the management controller is to interface with a user to obtain the configuration information for the network device subsequent to receiving the discovery packet and to transmit the response packet with the configuration information responsive to obtaining the configuration information from the user.

17. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein: the data link layer comprises an Ethernet network; and the discovery packet and the response packet comprise Ethernet packets.

18. The information handling system of claim 12 , wherein the interfacing is performed by a user.