Network management method using redundant distributed control processors
First Claim
1. In a network having a client node and a pair of control point nodes operable as servers to the client node, each control point node functioning as either a primary control point node or an alternate control point node, a method for establishing one of the control point nodes as a primary control point node to the client node, comprising the steps of:
- (a) interrogating each control point node from the client node to determine its status as a primary or alternate control point node; and
(b) at each control point node, in response to being interrogated by the client node;
(1) if the node is a primary control point node, advising the client node of the status of the control point node as a primary control point node;
(2) if the node is an alternate control point node, interrogating the other control point node for information regarding its status as a primary or alternate control point node;
(3) in response to the receipt of status information indicating that the other control point node is a primary control point node, advising the client node of the status of the interrogating control point node as an alternate control point node, otherwise, changing the status of the interrogating node to that of a primary control point node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed network management system for managing redundant global network control points. The network management system allows candidate control points to determine which is primary and which are alternates, initializes the primary and alternate control points, synchronizes global data, and manages client interaction with the control points. The control points negotiate primary status by establishing a named resource in each processor and by testing for the lowest network address in each active processor. In addition, each client workstation determines which of the candidate control points is primary by interrogation. Client processes detect primary control point failures and switch the alternate control point to primary status.
25 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a network having a client node and a pair of control point nodes operable as servers to the client node, each control point node functioning as either a primary control point node or an alternate control point node, a method for establishing one of the control point nodes as a primary control point node to the client node, comprising the steps of:
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(a) interrogating each control point node from the client node to determine its status as a primary or alternate control point node; and (b) at each control point node, in response to being interrogated by the client node; (1) if the node is a primary control point node, advising the client node of the status of the control point node as a primary control point node; (2) if the node is an alternate control point node, interrogating the other control point node for information regarding its status as a primary or alternate control point node; (3) in response to the receipt of status information indicating that the other control point node is a primary control point node, advising the client node of the status of the interrogating control point node as an alternate control point node, otherwise, changing the status of the interrogating node to that of a primary control point node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a network having a pair of control point nodes, each node functioning as either a primary node or an alternate node, a method for establishing one of the nodes as a primary node, comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a negotiation request from one of the nodes to the other of the nodes; and (b) at the receiving node, in response to receiving the request from the transmitting node; (1) prioritizing the transmitting and receiving nodes relative to each other in accordance with a predetermined scheme; and (2) if the priority of the transmitting node is higher than that of the receiving node and the receiving node is not already a primary node, establishing the receiving node as an alternate node and returning a first signal to the transmitting node establishing it as a primary node, otherwise, establishing the receiving node as a primary node and returning a second signal to the transmitting node establishing it as an alternate node. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification