DYNAMIC DISCOVERY MECHANISMS VIA INTER-DOMAIN ROUTING PROTOCOL

• US 20100329270A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ward, David Delano, White, Russell I., Asati, Rajiv, Patel, Keyur P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,121,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/033 by updating distance vector protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method is provided at which it is used in a device. In this method, a logical identifier assigned to the device is identified and additionally, a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group is identified. The logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in a routing message, which is used in an inter-domain routing protocol, and this routing message is transmitted to a reflector device in communication with the device. The reflector device is configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in the computer network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a logical identifier assigned to a device;

identifying a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group;

encoding the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier in a routing message used in an inter-domain routing protocol; and

transmitting the routing message to a reflector device in communication with the device, the reflector device configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in a computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing message communicates an identification of the device based on the logical identifier and a request to establish a session within the mesh group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing message communicates an identification of the device based on the logical identifier and a request to withdraw from a session within the mesh group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inter-domain routing protocol is a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) and the routing message is a BGP update message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the BGP update message includes a Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) field, and wherein the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in the NRLI field.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising negotiation with the reflector device a capability to handle discovery of the remote device included in the computer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical identifier is an Internet Protocol address.

8. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed operable to:

receive a routing message from a reflector device, the routing message being used in an inter-domain routing protocol and communicating an identification of a remote device and a request to establish a session within a mesh group;

retrieve from the routing message a logical identifier assigned to the remote device and a mesh group identifier identifying the mesh group; and

establish the session with the remote device that transmitted the routing message based on the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein the session is a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) session and wherein the operation of establishing the BGP session, when executed, being further operable to:

transmit a first OPEN message to the remote device identified by the logical identifier;

receive a second OPEN message from the remote device in response to the first OPEN message; and

transmit a KEEPALIVE message to the remote device in response to receipt of the second OPEN message.

10. The logic of claim 9, further operable to identify a match of the mesh group identifier with a locally configured mesh group identifier.

11. The logic of claim 8, further operable to:

store the logical identifier in a data structure;

receive a request to establish a further session with a further remote device, the request include a further logical identifier assigned to the further remote device;

compare the further logical identifier with the logical identifier stored in the data structure; and

ignore the request to establish the further session based on a mismatch of the further logical identifier with the logical identifier.

12. The logic of claim 8, further operable to negotiate with the reflector device a capability to handle discovery of the remote device.

13. The logic of claim 8, wherein the inter-domain routing protocol is a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), the routing message is a BGP update message, and the session is a BGP session.

14. The logic of claim 13, wherein the BGP update message includes a Network Layer Reachability Information (NLRI) field, and wherein the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in the NRLI field.

15. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a machine-readable medium in communication with the at least one processor, the machine-readable medium being configured to store a dynamic discovery module, the dynamic discovery module being executed by the at least one processor cause operations to be performed, comprising;

identifying a logical identifier assigned to the apparatus;

identifying a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group;

encoding the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier in a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and

transmitting the BGP update message to a reflector device in communication with the apparatus, the reflector device configured to transmit the BGP update message to a remote apparatus included in the computer network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the BGP update message communicates an identification of the apparatus based on the logical identifier and a request to establish a BGP session within the mesh group.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the BGP update message comprises a Multiprotocol Reachable Network Layer Reachability Information (NRLI) attribute that includes an NRLI field, and wherein the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in the NRLI field.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the BGP update message communicates an identification of the apparatus based on the logical identifier and a request to withdraw from a BGP session within the mesh group.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the BGP update message comprises a Multiprotocol Unreachable Network Layer Reachability Information (NRLI) attribute that includes an NRLI field, and wherein the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in the NRLI field.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is a router.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reflector device is a route reflector.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a dynamic discovery module configured to identify a logical identifier assigned to the apparatus and configured to identify a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group;

a means for encoding the logical identifier and the mesh group identifier in a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) update message; and

a BGP procedures module configured to transmit the BGP update message to a reflector device in communication with the apparatus, the reflector device configured to transmit the BGP update message to a remote apparatus included in the computer network, the BGP update message communicating an identification of the apparatus based on the logical identifier and a request to establish a BGP session within the mesh group.