PROPAGATION OF CHANGES IN A NETWORK

• US 20120178430A1
• Filed: 03/12/2012
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: French, Paul Basil, Lucas, Mark Jonathan, Lucey, Niall Jude
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A network of nodes and connections is provided, each connection connecting two nodes. A method of operating a first node in the network includes detecting a change in a node connected to the first node, identifying that the number of nodes connected to the first node with the detected change is above a predetermined threshold, and executing the detected change at the first node and/or propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first node in a network of nodes and connections, each connection connecting two nodes, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

detecting a change in a node connected to the first node;

identifying that a number of nodes connected to the first node with the detected change is above a predetermined threshold; and

executing the detected change at the first node.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change.

3. A method according to claim 2, and further comprising storing a node group membership list defining a group of nodes comprising one or more nodes, and wherein the step of propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change comprises propagating the detected change to the nodes defined in the node group membership list.

4. A method according to claim 2, and further comprising designating the first node as a gateway node and wherein the step of propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change comprises propagating the detected change to one or more other gateway nodes.

5. A method according to claim 2, and further comprising storing one or more rules, ascertaining whether the detected change conflicts with the one or more rules, and only propagating the detected change if it does not conflict with the one or more rules.

6. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising storing one or more rules, ascertaining whether the detected change conflicts with the one or more rules, and only executing the detected change if it does not conflict with the one or more rules.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a change in a node connected to the first node comprises receiving a notification from the node detailing the change.

8. A method of operating a first node in a network of nodes and connections, each connection connecting two nodes, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

detecting a change in a node connected to the first node;

identifying that a number of nodes connected to the first node with the detected change is above a predetermined threshold; and

propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change.

9. A method according to claim 8, and further comprising storing a node group membership list defining a group of nodes comprising one or more nodes, and wherein the step of propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change comprises propagating the detected change to the nodes defined in the node group membership list.

10. A method according to claim 8, and further comprising designating the first node as a gateway node and wherein the step of propagating the detected change to one or more nodes connected to the first node that do not have the detected change comprises propagating the detected change to one or more other gateway nodes.

11. A method according to claim 8, and further comprising storing one or more rules, ascertaining whether the detected change conflicts with the one or more rules, and only propagating the detected change if it does not conflict with the one or more rules.