Techniques for selecting available subnets for delegation among dynamic host configuration servers
First Claim
1. A method of providing network addresses for hosts on a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- generating and storing, as part of a subnet management process, network configuration information indicating a plurality of network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices, wherein a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses;
generating and storing policy information indicating a policy set of one or more policy processes, each policy process for selecting an available subnet from a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses;
wherein each policy process manages a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses;
receiving, from a subnet requesting process, a request for a subnet to be used by a particular network device;
invoking a particular policy process to determine a particular subnet based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set, wherein the particular policy process manages a particular plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses and determines the particular subnet by performing;
determining, based on the request, the particular network device to use the particular subnet;
determining whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and
selecting from the particular plurality of available network addresses a candidate subnet as the particular subnet, wherein selection of the candidate subnet depends on whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and
sending a response indicating the particular subnet to the subnet requesting process.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing network addresses for hosts on a network includes generating and storing network configuration information in a subnet management process, where a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses. The network configuration information indicates network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices. Policy information is also generated and stored. The policy information indicates a policy set of one or more policy processes. Each policy process selects an available subnet from available network addresses. A request for a subnet is received from a subnet requesting process. A particular subnet is determined based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set. A response indicating the particular subnet is sent to the subnet requesting process. These techniques allow an administrator to choose a policy for selecting subnets that better utilizes network resources for a wide range of network architectures.
53 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method of providing network addresses for hosts on a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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generating and storing, as part of a subnet management process, network configuration information indicating a plurality of network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices, wherein a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses; generating and storing policy information indicating a policy set of one or more policy processes, each policy process for selecting an available subnet from a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; wherein each policy process manages a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; receiving, from a subnet requesting process, a request for a subnet to be used by a particular network device; invoking a particular policy process to determine a particular subnet based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set, wherein the particular policy process manages a particular plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses and determines the particular subnet by performing; determining, based on the request, the particular network device to use the particular subnet; determining whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and selecting from the particular plurality of available network addresses a candidate subnet as the particular subnet, wherein selection of the candidate subnet depends on whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and sending a response indicating the particular subnet to the subnet requesting process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for providing network addresses for hosts on a network, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
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generating and storing, as part of a subnet management process, network configuration information indicating a plurality of network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices, wherein a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses; generating and storing policy information indicating a policy set of one or more policy processes, each policy process for selecting an available subnet from a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; wherein each policy process manages a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; receiving, from a subnet requesting process, a request for a subnet to be used by a particular network device; invoking a particular policy process to determine a particular subnet based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set, wherein the particular policy process manages a particular plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses and determines the particular subnet by performing; determining, based on the request, the particular network device to use the particular subnet; determining whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and selecting from the particular plurality of available network addresses a candidate subnet as the particular subnet wherein selection of the candidate subnet depends on whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and sending a response indicating the particular subnet to the subnet requesting process.
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21. An apparatus for providing network addresses for hosts on a network, comprising:
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means for generating and storing, as part of a subnet management process, network configuration information indicating a plurality of network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices, wherein a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses; means for generating and storing policy information indicating a policy set of one or more policy processes, each policy process for selecting an available subnet from a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; wherein each policy process manages a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; means for receiving, from a subnet requesting process, a request for a subnet to be used by a particular network device; means for invoking a particular policy process to determine a particular subnet based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set, wherein the particular policy process manages a particular plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses and determines the particular subnet by performing; determining, based on the request, the particular network device to use the particular subnet; determining whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and selecting from the particular plurality of available network addresses a candidate subnet as the particular subnet, wherein selection of the candidate subnet depends on whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and means for sending a response indicating the particular subnet to the subnet requesting process. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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22. An apparatus for providing network addresses for hosts on a network, comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to the network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom; a processor; one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of; generating and storing, as part of a subnet management process, network configuration information indicating a plurality of network addresses to be distributed among a plurality of network devices, wherein a subnet is a set of contiguous network addresses; generating and storing policy information indicating a policy set of one or more policy processes, each policy process for selecting an available subnet from a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; wherein each policy process manages a plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses; receiving, from a subnet requesting process, a request for a subnet to be used by a particular network device; invoking a particular policy process to determine a particular subnet based on the network configuration information, the request, and the policy set, wherein the particular policy process manages a particular plurality of available network addresses of the plurality of network addresses and determines the particular subnet by performing; determining, based on the request, the particular network device to use the particular subnet; determining whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and selecting from the particular plurality of available network addresses a candidate subnet as the particular subnet, wherein selection of the candidate subnet depends on whether a leased subnet of the plurality of network addresses has already been allocated to the particular network device; and sending a response indicating the particular subnet to the subnet requesting process. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification