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Method for updating a hardware configuration of a networked communications device

  • US 7,577,726 B1
  • Filed: 02/07/2002
  • Issued: 08/18/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:

  • a server for storing operating system and hardware configuration updates for routing devices; and

    a routing domain containing a plurality of routers each containing an internal routing table for identifying routes through a packet switched network, each router operating a routing protocol configured to synchronize that router'"'"'s internal routing table with the other tables in the routing domain by sending messages according to the protocol, wherein the messages propagate information about new or changed routes within the routing domain;

    wherein the routing protocol is further configured to time internal routing table synchronization according to continuous measurements of communication traffic such that the internal routing table synchronization occurs when the measured communication traffic drops below a threshold level;

    wherein at least one of the routers in the routing domain is encoded with instructions that, if executed, result in;

    storing a default router operating system version and a default router hardware configuration in a first flash memory unit on said at least one router, said default router hardware configuration having an associated checksum and an associated timestamp indicating when said default router hardware configuration was downloaded;

    downloading an updated router operating system version and an updated router hardware configuration from the server, wherein said instructions are further configured to monitor for occurrence of the routing table synchronizations and opportunistically initiate said downloading in response to observing one of the routing table synchronizations so that said download initiation coincides with timing determinations of the routing protocol, and wherein said updated router hardware configuration and said updated router operating system version are stored in a second flash memory unit of said at least one router by erasing and rewriting said second flash memory unit;

    performing a checksum operation on said updated router hardware configuration to verify a received copy of said updated router hardware configuration;

    creating a timestamp associated with said updated router hardware configuration to indicate when said updated router hardware configuration was downloaded;

    programming a plurality of programmable logic units on said at least one router according to said updated router hardware configuration, wherein said programming occurs if said updated router hardware configuration has a correct checksum and a more recent associated timestamp than said default router hardware configuration, wherein said programmable logic units are coupled with said at least one router via a removable card, and wherein said removable card is removably attached to said at least one router;

    disposing a CPU and a main memory of the at least one router on the removable card, such that the CPU and the main memory of the at least one router are coupled with the at least one router via the removable card; and

    broadcasting notification of the updated router operating system version and the updated router hardware configuration across the routing domain, wherein said broadcast notification triggers the routing domain to autonomously synchronize to the new configuration;

    wherein the other routers receiving the broadcast notification are configured to delay downloading their configurations from the server, if necessary, so that said downloading by the other routers coincides with the routing protocol'"'"'s timing determinations.

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