System and method for the design and description of networks

• US 20040267922A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Sistla, Amber D., Rover, Jeremy L.
• Application Number:
  US10/611,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267922A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

A standardized system and method for describing a network is provided. Subnets within a network may be categorized into a subnet grouping based on whether the subnets within the subnet grouping can route to one another. Subnet subsections corresponding to the categorized subnets may be provided within the subnet grouping. Network topology type sections may specify desired topology types within a subnet subsection.

Claims

1. A method for describing a network comprising:

categorizing a subnet into a subnet grouping, wherein subnets within a subnet grouping can route to one another;

providing a subnet subsection for the subnet within the categorized subnet grouping; and

specifying a network topology type section in the provided subnet subsection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying the network topology type section for the established subnet subsection comprises:

specifying that the subnet is to be supported by a topology that is compliant with the IEEE 802.3 standard.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying the network topology type section for the established subnet subsection comprises:

specifying that the subnet is to be supported by a topology that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11a standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying the network topology type section for the established subnet subsection comprises:

specifying that the subnet is to be supported by a topology that is compliant with the IEEE 802.11b standard.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a list of nodes, the list including at least one node.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the list of nodes further comprises providing a starting position on the network for the listed node.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing the list of nodes comprises providing the list of nodes within the specified network topology type subsection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein categorizing the subnet into a subnet grouping comprises categorizing the subnet into an internal subnet grouping or an external subnet grouping.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein categorizing the subnet into the internal subnet grouping or the external subnet grouping comprises:

placing the subnet in the external subnet grouping, if the subnet is associated with an external interface of a Virtual Private Network (VPN); and

placing the subnet in the internal subnet grouping, if subnet is associated with an internal interface of the VPN.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein categorizing the subnet into the internal subnet grouping or the external subnet grouping comprises:

placing the subnet in the external subnet grouping, if the subnet is to be associated with a non-secure interface of a firewall; and

placing the subnet in the internal subnet grouping, if the subnet is to be associated with a non-secure interface of a firewall.

11. A network comprising:

a first network component to receive a request for a network configuration; and

a second network component in electrical communication with the first network component to provide the request for the network configuration, the second network component having a processor and logic executable thereon to

categorize a subnet into a subnet grouping, wherein subnets within a subnet grouping can route to one another

provide a subnet subsection for the subnet within the categorized subnet grouping; and

specify a network topology type subsection in the provided subnet subsection.

12. The network of claim 11, wherein the second network component having the processor and logic executable thereon further comprises logic executable thereon to:

provide a list of nodes, the list including at least one node.

13. The network of claim 12, wherein to provide the list of nodes comprises to provide the list of nodes within the specified network topology type subsection.

14. The network of claim 11, wherein the first network component is a Dynamic Host configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

15. The network of claim 11, wherein the second network component is a control node.

16. An article of manufacture comprising:

an electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to

categorize a subnet into a subnet grouping, wherein subnets within a subnet grouping can route to one another;

provide a subnet subsection for the subnet within the categorized subnet grouping; and

specify a network topology type subsection in the provided subnet subsection.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the electronically accessible medium further provides instructions that, when executed by an apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

provide a list of nodes, the list to include at least one node.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions, that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to provide a list of nodes cause the apparatus to provide the list of nodes within the specified network topology type subsection.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to provide the list of nodes, the list to include at least one node, cause the apparatus to provide a start position on the network for the listed node.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to categorize the subnet into a subnet grouping, cause the apparatus to categorize the subnet into an internal subnet grouping or an external subnet grouping.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to categorize the subnet into the internal subnet grouping or the external subnet grouping, cause the apparatus to:

place the subnet in the external subnet grouping, if the subnet is associated with an external interface of a Virtual Private Network (VPN); and

place the subnet in the internal subnet grouping, if subnet is associated with an internal interface of the VPN.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the electronically accessible medium providing instructions that, when executed by the apparatus, cause the apparatus to categorize the subnet into the internal subnet grouping or the external subnet grouping, cause the apparatus to:

place the subnet in the external subnet grouping, if the subnet is associated with a non-secure interface of a firewall; and

place the subnet in the internal subnet grouping, if the subnet is associated with a secure interface of a firewall.

23. A network comprising:

a first network component to receive a description of a configured network; and

a second network component in electrical communication with the first network component to provide the description of the configured network, the second network component having a processor and logic executable thereon to

categorize a subnet into a subnet grouping, wherein subnets within a subnet grouping can route to one another;

provide a subnet subsection for the subnet within the categorized subnet grouping;

specify a network topology type subsection in the provided subnet subsection; and

provide a list of nodes within the specified network topology type subsection.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein the first network component is a control node.

25. The network of claim 23, wherein the second network component is a Dynamic Host Configuration (DHCP) server.