Network element including automatic network element identity information registration apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A network element for use in a digital transmission system including at least one other network element comprising:
- processor means loaded with software for supporting an open standard interface (OSI) protocol stack having at least a network layer including routing protocols and an application layer including a directory distribution protocol, said OSI stack including at least one other OSI layer between said network layer and said application layer;
means for connecting said network element to one or more other network elements via a data communications channel, said data communications channel being intended to transport OSI protocol stack data;
means for utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has become reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element being reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer;
means for automatically obtaining network identity information from the indicated newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack;
means for automatically supplying network identity information network element to the newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack; and
means for utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has ceased to be reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element ceasing to be reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer, an indication that said network element was reachable being removed from said routing table upon said detection that it has ceased to be reachable.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a telecommunications management network including a network element provisioned as a so-called Directory Services Network Element (DSNE) and at least one sub-network intended to include one or more network elements, automatic registration network element identity information is realized by employing a routing exchange protocol to dynamically maintain identity information of network elements reachable within the network, enhancing the routing exchange protocol interface to automatically supply an indication of detection of a newly reachable network element to an applications layer protocol, and using the indentity information of a newly reachable network element in the applications layer protocol of the DSNE to establish communications with the newly reachable network element. Then, the newly reachable network element supplies additional identity information (e.g., its name, network address and the like) to the DSNE. The DSNE, upon receiving the additional identity information, supplies its identity information to the newly reachable network element. Consequently, the identity information of the DSNE is supplied to each newly reachable network element as it is added to the network. This provides all network elements the capability of establishing communications with the DSNE, so that queries can be made for identity information of other network elements in the sub-network. The retrieved identity information can, in turn, be used by the individual network elements to establish communications with other network elements in the sub-network.
42 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A network element for use in a digital transmission system including at least one other network element comprising:
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processor means loaded with software for supporting an open standard interface (OSI) protocol stack having at least a network layer including routing protocols and an application layer including a directory distribution protocol, said OSI stack including at least one other OSI layer between said network layer and said application layer; means for connecting said network element to one or more other network elements via a data communications channel, said data communications channel being intended to transport OSI protocol stack data; means for utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has become reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element being reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer; means for automatically obtaining network identity information from the indicated newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack; means for automatically supplying network identity information network element to the newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack; and
means for utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has ceased to be reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element ceasing to be reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer, an indication that said network element was reachable being removed from said routing table upon said detection that it has ceased to be reachable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for use in a network element to be employed in a digital transmission system including at least one other network element comprising the steps of:
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supporting software including an open standard interface (OSI) protocol stack having at least a network layer including routing protocols and an application layer including a directory distribution protocol, the OSI stack including at least one other OSI layer between said network layer and said application layer; connecting said network element to one or more other network elements via a data communications channel, said data communications channel being intended to transport OSI protocol stack data; utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has become reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element being reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer; automatically obtaining network identity information from the indicated newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack; automatically supplying network identity information of this network element to the newly reachable network element using said OSI protocol stack; and
utilizing said OSI routing protocols for detecting via received OSI protocol stack data that another network element has ceased to be reachable and for automatically providing an indication of said network element ceasing to be reachable directly to said directory distribution protocol in said applications layer and deleting an indication that said network element was reachable from said routing table upon said detection that it has ceased to be reachable. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification