System and method for wide area zero-configuration network auto configuration

• US 10,382,274 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2017
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kachalia, Rahul, Agarwal, Saurabh, Bhargava, Ankur, Muchala, Saiprasad, Narayan, Manoj
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Parth
• Application Number:
  US15/659,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20180375731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for implementing zero-configuration networking over a wide area network. Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for implementing zero-configuration networking over a wire area network by utilizing agents, application programming interfaces (API), and a controller. The controller can implement polices for communication between the agents and APIs, enabling zero-configuration network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a controller from an agent, a request for a Bonjour Control Protocol (“

BCP”

) auto-configuration connection;

sending, from the controller to the agent, an acknowledgment of the request;

determining, at the controller, the agent is permitted for connection;

sending, from the controller to the agent, a response to the request for the auto-configuration connection;

receiving, at the controller from the agent, an acknowledgment of the response;

establishing a BCP auto-configuration connection between the agent and the controller;

receiving, at the controller, a change to a parameter of the auto-configuration connection;

receiving, at the controller from the agent, one or more requests to connect to one or more other agents connected to the controller, wherein the request is received after the change in the parameter and before the agent has implemented the change in the parameter; and

allowing, at the controller, the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received within a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the connection by utilizing a hello packet over a predetermined interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the agent is permitted for connection further comprises verifying the agent with a trust verify policy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, to the agent, an auto-configuration response including the change; and

receiving, from the agent, an acknowledgment.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

extracting, at the agent, the change from the auto-configuration response; and

reconfiguring, at the agent, the parameter change.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

denying, at the controller, the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received outside a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change and terminating the connection.

7. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer readable instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the process to;

receive, from an agent, a request for a Bonjour Control Protocol (“

BCP”

) auto-configuration connection;

send, to the agent, an acknowledgment of the request;

determine the agent is permitted for connection;

send, to the agent, a response to the request for the auto-configuration connection;

receive, from the agent, an acknowledgment of the response;

establishing a BCP auto-configuration connection with the agent;

receive, at the controller, a change to a parameter of the auto-configuration connection;

receive, at the controller from the agent, one or more requests to connect to one or more other agents connected to the controller, wherein the request is received after the change in the parameter and before the agent has implemented the change in the parameter; and

allow, at the controller, the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received within a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to maintain the connection by utilizing a hello packet over a predetermined interval.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the determination that the agent is permitted for connection further comprises instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to verify the agent with a trust verify policy.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

send, to the agent, an auto-configuration response including the change; and

receive, from the agent, an acknowledgment.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

deny the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received outside a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change and terminating the connection.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

receive, from an agent, a request for a Bonjour Control Protocol (“

BCP”

) auto-configuration connection;

send, to the agent, an acknowledgment of the request;

determine the agent is permitted for connection;

send, to the agent, a response to the request for the auto-configuration connection;

receive, from the agent, an acknowledgment of the response;

establishing a BCP auto-configuration connection with the agent;

receiving, at the controller, a change to a parameter of the auto-configuration connection;

receiving, at the controller from the agent, one or more requests to connect to one or more other agents connected to the controller, wherein the request is received after the change in the parameter and before the agent has implemented the change in the parameter; and

allowing, at the controller, the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received within a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to maintain the connection by utilizing a hello packet over a predetermined interval.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the determination that the agent is permitted for connection further comprises instructions which when executed by the processor causes the processor to verify the agent with a trust verify policy.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

send, to the agent, an auto-configuration response including the change; and

receive, from the agent, an acknowledgment.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

extract, at the agent, the change from the auto-configuration response; and

reconfiguring, at the agent, the parameter change.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

deny the one or more requests when the one or more requests are received outside a predetermined time of the auto-configuration response including the change and terminating the connection.