METHOD FOR ROUTING INFORMATION OVER A NETWORK EMPLOYING CENTRALIZED CONTROL

• US 20120076492A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ali N. Saleh, Vahid Parsi, Zadikian H. Michael, Zareh Baghdasarian
• Original Assignee: Ali N. Saleh, Vahid Parsi, Zadikian H. Michael, Zareh Baghdasarian
• Inventors: Zadikian, H. Michael, Baghdasarian, Zareh, Parsi, Vahid, Saleh, Ali N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,030,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for centralized control of a network is described. The network includes a number of nodes. The method includes creating a database and storing the database on a master node of the network. The database contains topology information regarding a topology of the network. Each of the nodes is coupled to at least one other of the nodes, with the master node being one of the nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining topology information, wherein

the topology information is regarding a topology of a network,

the network comprises

a plurality of nodes, and

a plurality of optical links,

each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and

the maintaining comprises

sending a message, wherein

the message is sent by a master node, and

the message is sent to a backup node,

receiving a reply, wherein

the reply is received at the master node,

the reply is received from the backup node,

the reply comprises

backup topology information, and

the backup topology information is based on information from a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, and

comparing the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein

the authoritative topology information is based on information from an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the comparing indicates that the backup topology database should be updated, making a copy of the authoritative topology database, and

sending the copy from the master node to the backup node, wherein the master node and the backup node are ones of the nodes.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving the copy of the authoritative topology database at the backup node; and

replacing the backup topology database with the copy of the authoritative topology database.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forwarding the copy of the backup topology database from the backup node to a standby node.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending a copy of a dynamic topology database from the master node to the backup node.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

forwarding the copy of the dynamic topology database from the backup node to a standby node.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

forwarding the copy of the backup topology database from the backup node to a standby node; and

storing the copy of the backup topology database as a standby topology database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the maintaining further comprises:

maintaining synchronization between

the authoritative topology database,

the backup topology database, and

the standby topology database.

9. A network device comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the processor; and

a plurality of instructions, encoded in the computer-readable storage medium and configured to cause the processor to

maintain topology information, wherein

the topology information is regarding a topology of a network,

the network comprises

a plurality of nodes, and

a plurality of optical links,

each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and

the instructions configured to cause the processor to maintain the topology information comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to

cause the network device to send a message to a backup node, wherein

the network device is the master node,

receive a reply, wherein

the reply is received at the master node,

the reply is received from the backup node,

the reply comprises

backup topology information, and

the backup topology information is based on information from a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, and

compare the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein

the authoritative topology information is based on information from an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node.

10. The network device of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

if the comparing indicates that the backup topology database should be updated make a copy of the authoritative topology database, and

send the copy from the master node to the backup node, wherein the master node and the backup node are ones of the nodes.

11. The network device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

receive the copy of the authoritative topology database at the backup node; and

replace the backup topology database with the copy of the authoritative topology database.

12. The network device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

forward the copy of the backup topology database from the backup node to a standby node.

13. The network device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

send a copy of a dynamic topology database from the master node to the backup node.

14. The network device of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

forward the copy of the dynamic topology database from the backup node to a standby node.

15. The network device of claim 10, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

forward the copy of the backup topology database from the backup node to a standby node; and

store the copy of the backup topology database as a standby topology database.

16. The network device of claim 10, wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to maintain topology information are further configured to cause the processor to:

maintain synchronization between

the authoritative topology database,

the backup topology database, and

the standby topology database.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a network device, configured to maintain topology information, wherein

the topology information is regarding a topology of a network,

the network comprises

a plurality of nodes, and

a plurality of optical links,

each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and

the first set of instructions comprises

a second set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to cause the network device to send a message to a backup node, wherein the network device is a master node,

a third set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to receive a reply, wherein the reply is received at the master node, the reply is received from the backup node, the reply comprises

backup topology information, and

the backup topology information is based on information from a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, and

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to compare the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein

the authoritative topology information is based on information from an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node; and

a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are encoded in the computer-readable storage medium.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first set of instructions further comprises:

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to if the comparing indicates that the backup topology database should be updated, make a copy of the authoritative topology database, and

send the copy from the master node to the backup node, wherein

the master node and the backup node are ones of the nodes.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the first set of instructions further comprises:

a sixth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to receive the copy of the authoritative topology database at the backup node; and

a seventh set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to replace the backup topology database with the copy of the authoritative topology database.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the first set of instructions further comprises:

a sixth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to send a copy of a dynamic topology database from the master node to the backup node; and

a seventh set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to forward the copy of the dynamic topology database from the backup node to a standby node.