Method to sequence changes for IP network configuration
First Claim
1. A method for updating routers in a network, comprising the steps of:
- employing one or more traceroute trees, where each tree has a root node, leaf nodes, and edges that connect each leaf node to the root node, through n intermediate nodes, where n is an integer ≧
0, where the trees, collectively, cover the routers to be updated, where nodes and edges of each tree are labeled with a tree identifier, and where nodes that belong to more than one tree, when such nodes exist, are labeled with one tree identifier;
updating said routers, starting with leaves of said trees, and proceeding towards the respective roots of the trees.
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Abstract
Updating of routers is achieved by insuring that the scheduling of router updates is such that a zone of turbulence that occurs where the updating takes place does not prevent reaching any router that may be in need of updating. For IP routers that have a task scheduling capability, this is achieved by estimating the time for communicating update information to all routers that need to be updated, adding that estimate to time of day, and transmitting the update specifications. In arrangements where routers do not have a task scheduling capability, updating is sequenced. One embodiment creates a set of traceroute trees that cover the nodes to be updated, and leaf nodes of the trees are taken up at random, placed in an ordered list and deleted from the trees. Another embodiment is more tree centric, in that once a starting node is identified (and its associated tree), all of its nodes are considered before progressing to another tree. A third embodiment takes advantage of the fact that is a node to be updated in not reachable when its updating is to be done, a second try that follows a delay is likely to succeed.
44 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for updating routers in a network, comprising the steps of:
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employing one or more traceroute trees, where each tree has a root node, leaf nodes, and edges that connect each leaf node to the root node, through n intermediate nodes, where n is an integer ≧
0, where the trees, collectively, cover the routers to be updated, where nodes and edges of each tree are labeled with a tree identifier, and where nodes that belong to more than one tree, when such nodes exist, are labeled with one tree identifier;
updating said routers, starting with leaves of said trees, and proceeding towards the respective roots of the trees. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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13. The method of claim 12 where said process further comprises a step of pruning from said list nodes that do not need to be updated.
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14. The method of claim 9 where said sequence is developed by a process that creates an ordered update sequencing list, by executing steps that comport with following the logic:
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15. The method of claim 14 where said process further comprises a step of pruning from said list nodes that do not need to be updated.
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16. A method for updating routers in a network, comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a set of routers to be updated, selecting a router from said set of routers to be updated, determining whether said router can be reached from a computer that carries out said method, when said step of determining concludes that said router can be reached, reaching said router, updating said router, removing said router from said list of routers to be updated, returning to said step of selecting, and when said step of determining concludes that said router cannot be reached, taking a preselected action that occupies time, and returning to said step of determining. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for updating routers in a network, comprising the steps of:
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selecting a time for communicating update information to each of said routers to be updated, based on said step of selecting a time, formulating a time-of-day for updating of said routers to be updated, including said time-of-day with updating information that is destined to each of said routers to be updated as an update task scheduling time-of execution specification, and transmitting said updating information to said routers to be updated. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification