Method and system for distributing an upgrade among nodes in a network

• US 20110029965A1
• Filed: 07/31/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Pravir A., Lamba, Jaideep S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network includes: (a) introducing an upgrade element to a first node of the plurality of nodes; the upgrade element being appropriate for use by the first node for effecting the upgrade; (b) communicating the upgrade element from the first node to at least one other node of the plurality of nodes than the first node for use by the at least one other node for effecting the upgrade; (c) communicating the upgrade element from the at least one other node to at least one selected remaining node of the plurality of nodes not having received the upgrade element; and (d) repeating step (c) until the upgrade element is communicated to the plurality of nodes.

Claims

1. A method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network;

the method comprising;

(a) introducing an upgrade element to a first node of said plurality of nodes;

said upgrade element being appropriate for use by said first node for effecting said upgrade;

(b) communicating said upgrade element from said first node to at least one other node of said plurality of nodes than said first node for use by said at least one other node for effecting said upgrade;

(c) communicating said upgrade element from said at least one other node to at least one selected remaining node of said plurality of nodes not having received said upgrade element; and

(d) repeating step (c) until said upgrade element is communicated to said plurality of nodes.

2. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 1 wherein said upgrade element includes a plurality of tokens;

each respective token of said plurality of tokens representing a respective instance of permitted upgrade installation;

said plurality of tokens being distributed in respective selected numbers of said tokens with each respective said communicating of said upgrade element.

3. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 1 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade element to said first node.

4. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 1 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

5. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 2 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade element to said first node.

6. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 2 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

7. The method for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 3 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

8. A system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network;

the system comprising;

(a) an introducing unit coupled with a first node of said plurality of nodes;

said introducing unit introducing an upgrade element to said first node;

said upgrade element being appropriate for use in effecting said upgrade;

(b) a first communicating unit coupled with said first mode and coupled with at least one other node of said plurality of nodes than said first node;

said first communicating unit communicating said upgrade element from said first node to said at least one other node for use by said at least one other node in effecting said upgrade; and

(c) at least one second communicating unit coupled with said at least one other node and coupled with at least one selected remaining node not having received said upgrade element;

said at least one second communicating unit communicating said upgrade element from said at least one other node to said at least one selected remaining node not having received said upgrade element for use by said at least one selected remaining node not having received said upgrade element in effecting said upgrade.

9. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 8 wherein said upgrade element includes a plurality of tokens;

each respective token of said plurality of tokens representing a respective instance of permitted upgrade installation;

said plurality of tokens being distributed in respective selected numbers of said tokens with each respective said communicating of said upgrade element.

10. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 8 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade element to said first node.

11. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 8 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

12. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 9 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade element to said first node.

13. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 9 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

14. The system for distributing an upgrade among a plurality of nodes communicatingly linked in a network as recited in claim 10 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade element.

15. A method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network;

the method comprising;

(a) introducing said upgrade to said network;

(b) receiving said upgrade by a first node of said plurality of nodes;

(c) communicating said upgrade from said first node to at least one other node of said plurality of nodes than said first node;

(d) communicating said upgrade from said at least one other node to at least one selected remaining node of said plurality of nodes not having received said upgrade; and

(e) repeating step (d) until said upgrade is communicated to said plurality of nodes.

16. The method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network as recited in claim 15 wherein said upgrade is accompanied by a plurality of tokens;

each respective token of said plurality of tokens representing a respective instance of permitted upgrade installation;

said plurality of tokens being distributed in respective selected numbers of said tokens with each respective said communicating of said upgrade.

17. The method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network as recited in claim 15 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node having said upgrade other than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade to said first node.

18. The method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network as recited in claim 15 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade.

19. The method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network as recited in claim 16 wherein said introducing is effected by communicatingly linking an additional node having said upgrade other than said plurality of nodes with said first node and communicating said upgrade to said first node.

20. The method for delivering an upgrade to a plurality of nodes operating in a network as recited in claim 19 wherein one node of said plurality of nodes is a leader node;

said leader node accounting for an extant said plurality of nodes populating said network and accounting for an upgrade-level of each respective node of said extant plurality of nodes populating said network;

said leader node notifying other nodes of said plurality of nodes than said leader node of availability of said upgrade.