METHODS FOR AUTO-CONFIGURING A ROUTER ON AN IP SUBNET

• US 20100228837A1
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rockstar Consortium US LP (Rockstar Consortium Inc.)
• Inventors: Squire, Matthew B., Poduri, Kedarnath, Sandick, Haldon J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/084 Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

An autoconfiguring data router is connected to a communications network subnet having a second network data router. The autoconfiguring data router includes a configuration determination module that determines configuration attributes for operably connecting the autoconfiguring data router to the subnet, and an autoconfiguration module that configures the autoconfiguring data router according to the configuration attributes so that the autoconfiguring data router is operably connected to the subnet.

Claims

1-70. -70. (canceled)

71. A method of configuring a first network device for connection to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the method comprising:

determining, with a configuration determination module of the first network device, configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet;

presenting the determined configuration attributes to an operator interface for consideration by a network operator;

receiving operator inputs at the operator interface indicating operator acceptance of the determined attributes, and

configuring the first network device, with an autoconfiguration module of the first network device, according to the configuration attributes so that the first network device is connected to the subnet.

72. A method according to claim 71, wherein the presented configuration attributes are accompanied by explanations to the operator as to why the configuration attributes have been presented.

73. A method according to claim 71, wherein the configuration attributes comprise an IP subnet mask.

74. A method according to claim 71, wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) forwarding data and DHCP server address.

75. A method according to claim 71, wherein the configuration attributes comprises virtual local area network (VLAN) information including tag identifications, types, protocols, addresses, and port-to-VLAN mappings.

76. A method according to claim 71, wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Spanning Tree Group information, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server addresses, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) timer information, Routing Information Protocol (RIP) broadcast timer information, and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) information.

77. A method according to claim 71, wherein determining configuration attributes further comprises communicating with a network centralized configuration server.

78. A method according to claim 77, wherein the network centralized configuration server uses Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to communicate.

79. A method according to claim 78, wherein communicating with a network centralized configuration server comprises:

sending to the centralized configuration server a message containing the addresses of network neighbors on the subnet;

searching in a configuration database of the centralized configuration server for configuration attributes relevant to the first network device; and

forwarding the configuration attributes from the configuration database to the first network device.

80. A method according to claim 71, wherein determining configuration attributes further comprises communicating with the second network device.

81. A method according to claim 80, wherein communicating with the second network device uses a protocol based on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

82. A method according to claim 71, wherein determining configuration attributes comprises analyzing routing protocol control packets detected by the first network device.

83. A data router connected to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the data router comprising:

a configuration determination module that determines configuration attributes for connecting the autoconfiguring data router to the subnet;

an operator interface for presenting the determined configuration attributes for consideration by a network operator, and for receiving operator inputs indicating operator acceptance of the determined attributes, and

an autoconfiguration module that configures the data router according to the configuration attributes so that the data router is connected to the subnet.

84. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the presented configuration attributes are accompanied by explanations to the operator as to why the configuration attributes have been presented.

85. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration attributes comprise an IP subnet mask.

86. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) forwarding data and DHCP server address.

87. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration attributes comprises virtual local area network (VLAN) information including tag identifications, types, protocols, addresses, and port-to-VLAN mappings.

88. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Spanning Tree Group information, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server addresses, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) timer information, Routing Information Protocol (RIP) broadcast timer information, and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) information.

89. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration determination module communicates with a network centralized configuration server.

90. A data router according to claim 89, wherein the network centralized configuration server uses Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to communicate.

91. A data router according to claim 90, wherein configuration determination module:

sends to the centralized configuration server a message containing the addresses of network neighbors on the subnet; and

receives, from a configuration database of the centralized configuration server, configuration attributes relevant to the data router.

92. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration determination module communicates with the second network device to receive configuration attributes.

93. A data router according to claim 92, wherein the second network device uses a protocol based on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

94. A data router according to claim 83, wherein the configuration determination module analyzes routing protocol control packets detected by the data router.

95. A computer program product for configuring a first network device for connection to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code thereon, the computer-readable program code comprising:

program code for determining, with a configuration determination module of the first network device, configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet;

program code for presenting the determined configuration attributes to an operator interface for consideration by a network operator;

program code for receiving operator inputs at the operator interface indicating operator acceptance of the determined attributes, and

program code for configuring the first network device, with an autoconfiguration module of the first network device, according to the configuration attributes so that the first network device is connected to the subnet.