Method and system for automating collateral configuration in a network

• US 20070244995A1
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kajekar, Preetham, Sathyanarayana, Krishna
• Granted Patent: US 8,078,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a method for automating collateral configuration in a network is provided. A service is configured on a network device (termed as service providing device). The service providing device sends a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message to other network devices (termed as service accessing devices). The service accessing devices process the CCRP message for their automatic collateral configuration in order to access the configured service on the service providing device.

Claims

1. A method for automatically initiating collateral configuration in a network, the method comprising:

configuring a service on a service providing network device; and

sending a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message to at least one network device to initiate collateral configuration on the at least one network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the CCRP message comprises instructions for collateral configuration.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the CCRP message further comprises reasoning information for sending the instructions.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating the CCRP message on the basis of the configured service prior to sending.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the CCRP message further comprises securing the CCRP message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the CCRP message comprises:

receiving the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is received by service accessing devices;

classifying the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is classified to determine the reaction of the service accessing devices on the CCRP message; and

configuring the service accessing devices, wherein the service accessing devices are configured to facilitate access to the configured service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein classifying the CCRP message comprises:

authenticating the CCRP message; and

abstracting the CCRP message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic collateral configuration is a static collateral configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic collateral configuration is a dynamic collateral configuration.

10. A method for enabling automatic collateral configuration in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message from a network device, wherein the network device is a service providing device; and

processing the received CCRP message to enable automatic collateral configuration, wherein the CCRP message is processed by remaining network devices, wherein the remaining network devices are service accessing devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the CCRP message comprises instructions for collateral configuration.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the CCRP message further comprises reasoning information for sending the instructions.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

creating the CCRP message on the basis of the configured service prior to sending.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the sending the CCRP message further comprises securing the CCRP message.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the processing the CCRP message comprises:

receiving the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is received by service accessing devices;

classifying the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is classified to determine the reaction of the service accessing devices on the CCRP message; and

configuring the service accessing devices, wherein the service accessing devices are configured to facilitate access to the configured service.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein classifying the CCRP message comprises:

authenticating the CCRP message; and

abstracting the CCRP message.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the automatic collateral configuration is a static collateral configuration.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the automatic collateral configuration is a dynamic collateral configuration.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the service providing device comprises:

means for configuring a service;

means for creating a CCRP message after configuring the service, wherein the CCRP message is created on the basis of the configured service;

means for securing the CCRP message; and

means for sending the CCRP message.

20. A system for automating collateral configuration in a network, the system comprising:

a service providing device for sending a Collateral Configuration Request

Protocol (CCRP) message, wherein the service providing device has a configured service;

a plurality of service accessing devices, the service accessing devices receiving the CCRP message from the service providing device, wherein the service accessing devices comprise;

means for receiving the CCRP message;

means for authenticating the received CCRP message;

means for abstracting the received CCRP message; and

means for collaterally configuring the service accessing devices.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the service providing device further comprises:

means for configuring a service;

means for creating a CCRP message after configuring the service, wherein the CCRP message is created on the basis of the configured service;

means for securing the CCRP message; and

means for sending the CCRP message.

22. An apparatus for automating collateral configuration in a network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a plurality of network devices via a network;

a machine-readable medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for;

configuring a service on a service providing network device;

sending a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message to at least one network infrastructure device in response to the service configuration.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising:

at least one additional apparatus for automating collateral configuration in the network, the at least one additional apprataus comprising;

a processor coupled to a plurality of network devices via a network;

a machine-readable medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for receiving and processing the CCRP message to configure the at least one additional apparatus to access the configured service.

24. A networking system having a service accessing apparatus for responding to a collateral configuration change, the apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to at least one service providing network device via a network;

a machine-readable medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for;

receiving a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message in response to a change to a configured service at said network device; and

processing the CCRP message to allow at least one service accessing apparatus to access the changed configured service.

25. An system of claim 24 wherein the network device further comprises:

a processor

a machine-readable medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for;

sending a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message from the network device in response to a configuration change in a service provided by the network device.