REDUCED AUTHENTICATION TIMES FOR SHARED-MEDIA NETWORK MIGRATION

• US 20130219478A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahamuni, Atul B., Barrett, Carol, Vasseur, Jean-Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• 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 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update

Abstract

In one embodiment, a management device in a computer network determines when nodes of the computer network join any one of a plurality of field area routers (FARs), which requires a shared-media mesh security key for that joined FAR. The management device also maintains a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, and to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined, where the nodes are configured to maintain the mesh security key for one or more previously joined FARs in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key. Accordingly, in response to an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the plurality of FARs, the management node initiates distribution of the updated mesh security key to nodes having previously joined that particular FAR that are not currently joined to that particular FAR.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining when nodes of a computer network join any one of a plurality of field area routers (FARs), which requires a shared-media mesh security key for that joined FAR;

maintaining a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, and to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined, wherein the nodes are configured to maintain the mesh security key for one or more previously joined FARs in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key; and

in response to an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the plurality of FARs, distributing the updated mesh security key to nodes having previously joined that particular FAR that are not currently joined to that particular FAR.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

limiting the distributing to specific nodes having previously joined that particular FAR within a specified past time period.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

limiting the distributing to specific nodes having previously joined that particular FAR for greater than a certain portion of their active time.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, within the database, what portion of active time each node has spent joined to particular FARs.

5. The method as in claim 4, further comprising:

disassociating a lesser-used FAR from a particular node within the database in response to a portion of active time that particular node has spent joined to the lesser-used FAR being less than a configured portion.

6. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, within the database, what portion of total joins each node has joined particular FARs.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

exporting the database to a management application.

8. The method as in claim 1, wherein one or more of the nodes in the computer network are stationary nodes that migrate between FARs based on varying network conditions.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein determining comprises:

receiving a notification from a joined FAR.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein determining comprises:

receiving a notification from a joining node.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein determining comprises:

inferring when nodes join a FAR based on implicit notification.

12. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that a particular node has been evicted from the computer network, removing the particular node from the database.

13. A method, comprising:

maintaining, by a node in a computer network, a respective shared-media mesh security key for one or more previously joined field area routers (FARs) when migrating to a current FAR in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key;

receiving an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the previously joined FARs, the updated mesh security key received from a management device configured to maintain a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, as well as to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined; and

migrating back to the particular FAR using the updated mesh security key.

14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising:

selecting the particular FAR for migration based on having an up-to-date mesh security key for the particular FAR.

15. The method as in claim 13, wherein the node is stationary, the method further comprising:

selecting the particular FAR for migration based on varying network conditions.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate in a computer network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

determine when nodes of a computer network join any one of a plurality of field area routers (FARs), which requires a shared-media mesh security key for that joined FAR;

maintain a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, and to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined, wherein the nodes are configured to maintain the mesh security key for one or more previously joined FARs in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key; and

distribute, in response to an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the plurality of FARs, the updated mesh security key to nodes having previously joined that particular FAR that are not currently joined to that particular FAR.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

limit the distributing to specific nodes having previously joined that particular FAR within a specified past time period.

18. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

limit the distributing to specific nodes having previously joined that particular FAR for greater than a certain portion of their active time.

19. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

maintain, within the database, what portion of active time each node has spent joined to particular FARs.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate in a computer network;

a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes; and

a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

maintain a respective shared-media mesh security key for one or more previously joined field area routers (FARs) when migrating to a current FAR in order to return to those previously joined FARs with the maintained mesh security key;

receive an updated mesh security key for a particular FAR of the previously joined FARs, the updated mesh security key received from a management device configured to maintain a database that indicates to which FAR each node in the computer network is currently joined, as well as to which FARs, if any, each node had previously joined; and

migrate back to the particular FAR using the updated mesh security key.

21. The apparatus as in claim 20, wherein the process when executed is further operable to:

select the particular FAR for migration based on having an up-to-date mesh security key for the particular FAR.

22. The method as in claim 20, wherein the node is stationary, the method further comprising:

select the particular FAR for migration based on varying network conditions.