Active server management

• US 6,374,295 B2
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infoblox Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Farrow, Tony, Hamilton, Ian, Waters, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): WILEY, DAVID ARMAND
• Application Number:
  US09/183,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20020010767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/201, 709/224, 709/219, 709/230, 370/243, 370/396, 364/200
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing IP addressing in a network and effectively synchronizing communication between a central database and one or more servers (such as DNS and DHCP).

Claims

1. A method of providing an update of a network protocol address information stored in a central database to one or more network protocol address management servers, comprising:

periodically checking whether said network protocol address information has been updated since a previous check of said network protocol address information; and

transmitting said updates of said network protocol address information to said one or more network protocol address management servers which said update corresponds to.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said periodically checking comprises querying a delta-logging facility in said central database for any changes to said network protocol address information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising issuing a request for said update to said central database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said update comprises global range information, network information, and/or global client pool.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and said network address protocol information includes DHCP parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Domain Name Service (DNS) server, and said network protocol address information includes DNS parameters.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing transmissions of requests for network protocol address information to said central database sent from said one or more network protocol address management servers.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising prioritizing said requests for network protocol address information prior to said transmission of requests for said network protocol address information to said central database.

9. A server manager for providing an update of a network protocol address information stored in a central database to one or more network protocol address management servers, said server manager:

periodically checks whether said network protocol address information has been updated since a previous check of said network protocol address information; and

transmits said updates of said network protocol address information to said one or more network protocol address management servers which said update corresponds to.

10. The server manager of claim 9, wherein said server manager in periodically checking whether said network protocol address information has been updated queries a delta-logging facility in said central database for any changes to said network protocol address information.

11. The server manager of claim 9, wherein said server manager issues a request for said update to said central database.

12. The server manager of claim 11, wherein said update comprises global range information, network information, and/or global client pool.

13. The server manager of claim 9, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and said network protocol address information includes DHCP parameters.

14. The server manager of claim 9, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Domain Name Service (DNS) server, and said network protocol address information includes DNS parameters.

15. The server manager of claim 9, wherein said server manager synchronizes transmissions of requests for network protocol address information to said central database sent from said one or more network protocol address management servers.

16. The server manager of claim 15, wherein said server manager prioritizes said requests for network protocol address information prior to said transmission of requests for said network protocol address information to said central database.

17. A network, comprising:

a central database for storing network protocol address information relating to said network;

one or more network protocol address management servers; and

a server manager for providing an update of said network protocol address information stored in said central database to said one or more network protocol address management servers, wherein said server manager;

periodically checks whether said network protocol address information has been updated since a previous check of said network protocol address information; and

transmits said updates of said network protocol address information to said one or more network protocol address management servers which said update corresponds to.

18. The network of claim 17, wherein said server manager in periodically checking whether said network protocol address information has been updated queries a delta-logging facility in said central database for any changes to said network protocol address information.

19. The network of claim 17, wherein said server manager issues a request for said update to said central database.

20. The network of claim 17, wherein said update comprises global range information, network information, and/or global client pool.

21. The network of claim 17, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and said network protocol address information includes DHCP parameters.

22. The network of claim 17, wherein said one or more network protocol address management servers each comprises a Domain Name Service (DNS) server, and said configuration information includes DNS parameters.

23. The network of claim 17, wherein said server manager synchronizes transmissions of requests for network protocol address information to said central database sent from said one or more network protocol address management servers.

24. The network of claim 23, wherein said server manager prioritizes said requests for network protocol address information prior to said transmission of requests for said network protocol address information to said central database.