Method of storing data concerning a computer network

• US 7,512,703 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Dipankar, Ho, Yong Boon, Natarajan, Srikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; David Y
• Application Number:
  US10/355,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,251 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/220, 709/223
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies

Abstract

A system and associated method of storing data concerning a computer network are disclosed. Mesh information concerning a mesh of nodes in the computer network is produced. The mesh information indicates that an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface, and the mesh information is stored.

Claims

1. A method of storing data concerning a computer network, the method comprising:

producing mesh information concerning a mesh of nodes in the computer network, the mesh information comprising;

a variable which denotes whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface, or a list of external mesh interfaces;

storing the mesh information, and

determining whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface based on the variable or the list of external mesh interfaces,

wherein the mesh is a group of three or more nodes of the computer network that are fully interconnected,

wherein the external mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that connects to a node that is not in the mesh, and

wherein an internal mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that only connects to the nodes in the mesh.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mesh information is part of an interface indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mesh information is part of a mesh indication that lists the external mesh interfaces of the mesh.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the mesh indication also lists internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining the mesh before the producing of mesh information.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

using the mesh information to produce a path indication, the path indication identifying the external mesh interface of the mesh.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the path indication includes an identifier of a mesh indication, the mesh indication identifying internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

using the mesh information to determine multiple paths between two nodes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the nodes of the mesh are all switching, nonrouting nodes.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the nodes making up the mesh is a subset of the nodes making up the computer network, and

wherein the subset of the nodes is less than the entirety of the nodes of the computer network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mesh information further comprises a second variable which denotes an identity of a mesh which the interface belongs to.

12. A computer for storing data concerning a computer network, the computer comprising:

a processor configured to produce mesh information concerning a mesh of nodes in the computer network, the mesh information comprising a variable which denotes whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface, or a list of external mesh interfaces; and

a memory configured to store the mesh information,

wherein the mesh is a group of three or more nodes of the computer network that are fully interconnected,

wherein the external mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that connects to a node that is not in the mesh,

wherein an internal mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that only connects to the nodes in the mesh, and

wherein whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface is determined based on the variable or the list of external mesh interfaces.

13. The computer of claim 12, wherein the mesh information is part of an interface indication.

14. The computer of claim 12, wherein the mesh information is part of a mesh indication that lists the external mesh interfaces of the mesh.

15. The computer of claim 14, wherein the mesh indication also lists internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

16. The computer of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to determine the mesh.

17. The computer of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to use the mesh information to produce a path indication, the path indication identifying the external mesh interface of the mesh.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the path indication includes an identifier of a mesh indication, the mesh indication identifying internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

19. The computer of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to use the mesh information to determine multiple paths between two nodes.

20. The computer of claim 12, wherein the nodes of the mesh are all switching, nonrouting nodes.

21. The computer of claim 12,

wherein the nodes making up the mesh is a subset of the nodes making up the computer network, and

wherein the subset of the nodes is less than the entirety of the nodes of the computer network.

22. The computer of claim 12, wherein the mesh information further comprises a second variable which denotes an identity of a mesh which the interface belongs to.

23. A system for storing data concerning a computer network, the system comprising:

means for producing mesh information concerning a mesh of nodes in the computer network, the mesh information comprising a variable which denotes whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface, or a list of external mesh interfaces;

means for storing the mesh information, and

means for determining whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface based on the variable or the list of external mesh interfaces;

wherein the mesh is a group of three or more nodes of the computer network that are fully interconnected,

wherein the external mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that connects to a node that is not in the mesh, and

wherein an internal mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that only connects to the nodes in the mesh.

24. The system of claim 23, comprising:

the computer network including a mesh of nodes.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the mesh information is part of an interface indication.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the mesh information is part of a mesh indication that lists the external mesh interfaces.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the mesh indication also lists an internal mesh interface.

28. The system of claim 23, comprising:

means for determining the mesh before producing the mesh information.

29. The system of claim 23, comprising:

means for using the mesh information to produce a path indication, the path indication identifying the external mesh interface of the mesh.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the path indication includes an identifier of a mesh indication, the mesh indication identifying an internal mesh interface of the mesh.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for using the mesh information determines multiple paths between two nodes.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the nodes of the mesh are all switching, nonrouting nodes.

33. The system of claim 23,

wherein the nodes making up the mesh is a subset of the nodes making up the computer network, and

wherein the subset of the nodes is less than the entirety of the nodes of the computer network.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the mesh information further comprises a second variable which denotes an identity of a mesh which the interface belongs to.

35. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program configured for:

producing mesh information concerning a mesh of nodes in the computer network, the mesh information comprising a variable which denotes whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface, or a list of external mesh interfaces;

storing the mesh information, and

determining whether an interface of the mesh is an external mesh interface based on the variable or the list of external mesh interfaces;

wherein the mesh is a group of three or more nodes of the computer network that are fully interconnected,

wherein the external mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that connects to a node that is not in the mesh, and

wherein an internal mesh interface is an interface of a node in the mesh that only connects to the nodes in the mesh.

36. A computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the mesh information is part of an interface indication.

37. A computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the mesh information is part of a mesh indication that lists the external mesh interfaces of the mesh.

38. A computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein the mesh indication also lists internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

39. A computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the program is configured for:

determining the mesh before the producing of mesh information.

40. A computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the program is configured for:

using the mesh information to produce a path indication, the path indication identifying the external mesh interface of the mesh.

41. A computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the path indication includes an identifier of a mesh indication, the mesh indication identifying internal mesh interfaces of the mesh.

42. A computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the program is configured for:

using the mesh information to determine multiple paths between two nodes.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the nodes of the mesh are all switching, nonrouting nodes.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 35,

wherein the nodes making up the mesh is a subset of the nodes making up the computer network, and

wherein the subset of the nodes is less than the entirety of the nodes of the computer network.

45. A computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the mesh information further comprises a second variable which denotes an identity of a mesh which the interface belongs to.