Internetworking Nodes based on Connections, Membership, and Location

• US 20080056282A1
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: MOON, BILLY G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,116,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for inter-networking nodes are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a node arrangement includes a services engine, a communications engine, and a transport engine. The services engine includes at least a first service domain that provides at least one service associated with a first community of interest. The communications engine provides at least a first forwarding table which is associated with the first community of interest and arranged to support reachability for the first service domain. The transport engine manages the zero or more exterior connections associated with the node arrangement.

Claims

1. A node arrangement comprising:

a services engine, the services engine including at least a first service domain, the first service domain being arranged to provide at least one service associated with a first community of interest;

a communications engine, the communications engine capable of providing at least a first forwarding table, the first forwarding table being associated with the first community of interest and arranged to support reachability for the first service domain; and

a transport engine, the transport engine being arranged to manage any exterior connections associated with the node arrangement.

2. The node arrangement of claim 1 further including:

at least one exterior connection, wherein the transport engine is arranged to maintain the at least one exterior connection.

3. The node arrangement of claim 1 wherein the transport engine is further arranged to publish the first service domain.

4. The node arrangement of claim 1 wherein the services engine includes a second service domain and the communications engine provides a second forwarding table, the second service domain being arranged to provide at least one service associated with a second community of interest, the second forwarding table being associated with the second community of interest and arranged to support reachability for the second service domain.

5. The node arrangement of claim 4 wherein the node arrangement is a member of the first community of interest and the second community of interest, and the transport engine concurrently manages a first exterior connection to the first community of interest and a second exterior connection to the second community of interest.

6. A method of communicating with a first element in a first enterprise and a second element in a second enterprise, the method comprising:

maintaining a first active connection to the first element;

maintaining a second active connection to the second element;

utilizing a service provided by the first element; and

utilizing a service provided by the second element.

7. The method of claim 6 further including:

maintaining a first forwarding table, the first forwarding table being arranged to specify a first route associated with the first active connection; and

maintaining a second forwarding table, the second forwarding table being arranged to specify a second route associated with a second active connection.

8. The method of claim 6 further including:

determining if the first active connection to the first element is to be updated;

identifying a third route, the third route being a route to the first element if it is determined that the first active connection to the first element is to be updated; and

updating the first forwarding table to specify the third route as being associated with the first active connection if it is determined that the first active connection to the first element is to be updated.

9. An apparatus for communicating with a first element in a first enterprise and a second element in a second enterprise, the apparatus comprising:

means for maintaining a first active connection to the first element;

means for maintaining a second active connection to the second element;

means for utilizing a service provided by the first element; and

means for utilizing a service provided by the second element.

10. An apparatus for communicating with a first element in a first enterprise and a second element in a second enterprise, the apparatus comprising:

logic that causes a first active connection to the first element to be maintained;

logic that causes a second active connection to the second element to be maintained;

logic that causes a service provided by the first element to be utilized; and

logic that causes a service provided by the second element to be utilized.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further including:

logic that causes a first forwarding table to be maintained, the first forwarding table being arranged to specify a first route associated with the first active connection; and

logic that causes a second forwarding table to be maintained, the second forwarding table being arranged to specify a second route associated with a second active connection.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further including:

logic that causes a determination if the first active connection to the first element is to be updated;

logic that causes a third route to be identified, the third route being a route to the first element if it is determined that the first active connection to the first element is to be updated; and

logic that causes the first forwarding table to be updated to specify the third route as being associated with the first active connection if it is determined that the first active connection to the first element is to be updated.

13. A method for creating a community of interest between a first node arrangement and a second node arrangement within a network, the method comprising:

performing a location-based search to locate the second node arrangement, wherein performing the location-based search includes querying a location that is associated with the second node arrangement;

initiating a connection to the second node arrangement when the second node arrangement is located; and

establishing a community of interest between the first node arrangement and the second node arrangement, wherein establishing the community of interest between the first node arrangement and the second node arrangement includes creating a forwarding table that identifies a route associated with the connection.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first node arrangement is associated with a second forwarding table, the second forwarding table being associated with a second community of interest that includes the first node arrangement.

15. The method of claim 13 further including:

determining if the second node arrangement has moved relative to the first node arrangement;

updating the connection if it is determined that the second node arrangement has moved relative to the first node arrangement; and

updating the first forwarding table, wherein updating the first forwarding table includes updating the route.

16. The method of claim 13 further including:

determining if the connection is to be aborted; and

aborting the connection and the first community of interest if it is determined that the connection is to be aborted.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein determining if the connection is to be aborted includes determining if the connection is in use.

18. An apparatus comprising:

means for performing a location-based search to locate a second node arrangement, wherein the means for performing the location-based search include means for querying a location that is associated with the second node arrangement;

means for initiating a connection to the second node arrangement when the second node arrangement is located; and

means for establishing a first community of interest between a first node arrangement and the second node arrangement, wherein the means for establishing the first community of interest between the first node arrangement and the second node arrangement include means for creating a first forwarding table that identifies a route associated with the connection.

19. An apparatus comprising:

logic that causes a location-based search to be performed to locate a second node arrangement, wherein the logic that causes a location-based search to be performed to locate the second node arrangement includes logic that causes a location associated with the second node arrangement to be queried;

logic that causes a connection to the second node arrangement to be initiated when the second node arrangement is located; and

logic that causes a first community of interest between a first node arrangement and the second node arrangement to be established, wherein the logic that causes the first community of interest between the first node arrangement and the second node arrangement to be established includes logic that causes a first forwarding table that identifies a route associated with the connection to be created.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first node arrangement is associated with a second forwarding table, the second forwarding table being associated with a second community of interest that includes the first node arrangement.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 further including:

logic that causes a determination of whether the second node arrangement has moved relative to the first node arrangement;

logic that causes the connection to be updated if it is determined that the second node arrangement has moved relative to the first node arrangement; and

logic that causes the first forwarding table to be updated, wherein the logic that causes the first forwarding table to be updated includes logic that causes the route to be updated.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the second node arrangement is included in the location.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the second node arrangement is one selected from the group including a distributed application and a network element.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first node arrangement is one selected from the group including a distributed application and a network element.