Group member detection among nodes of a network

• US 8,612,626 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Richard Shing-Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, NAM T
• Application Number:
  US12/974,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20120158992A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/668 Internet protocol [IP] address subnets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/74 Address processing for routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses

Abstract

A method, in accordance with particular embodiments, includes receiving a configuration message for configuring a first node with an IP address. The configuration message comprises a subnet portion associated with a group of nodes and a host portion associated with the first node. The method also includes detecting a second node in a routing table maintained by the first node. The method further includes determining that the second node has an IP address comprising a subnet portion matching the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node. The method additionally includes determining that the second node is a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the IP address of the second node. The method also includes transmitting a message to at least the second node identifying a service supported by the first node for the group of nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a configuration message for configuring a first node with an IP address, the configuration message comprising a subnet portion and a host portion, the subnet portion associated with a group of nodes and the host portion associated with the first node;

receiving an update to a routing table maintained by the first node;

determining that the update to the routing table includes adding a second node to the routing table;

determining that the added second node has an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node;

determining that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the IP address of the added second node;

transmitting, in response to determining that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes, a message to at least the added second node identifying at least one service supported by the first node for the group of nodes; and

wherein the first node is configured to be a member of the group of nodes and is also configured to be a member of another group of nodes associated with another subnet portion.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a removal of a third node from the routing table maintained by the first node;

determining that the third node had an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node;

determining that the third node was a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the third node'"'"'s IP address; and

removing at least one reference to the third node, the at least one reference indicating that the third node is a member of the group of nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the update to the routing table maintained by the first node is generated via a routing protocol used by the first node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each node of the group of nodes is used as part of a virtual local area network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the virtual local area network is implemented via virtual private local area network service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second configuration message configuring the first node with the at least one service, the second configuration message comprising a service identifier and an indication that the at least one service is associated with the group of nodes.

7. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code that when executed by a processor is configured to:

receive a configuration message for configuring a first node with an IP address, the configuration message comprising a subnet portion and a host portion, the subnet portion associated with a group of nodes and the host portion associated with the first node;

receive an update to a routing table maintained by the first node;

determine that the update to the routing table includes adding a second node to the routing table;

determine that the added second node has an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion or the IP address associated with the first node;

determine that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the IP address of the added second node;

transmit, in response to determining that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes, a message to at least the added second node identifying at least one service supported by the first node for the group of nodes; and

wherein the first node is configured to be a member of the group of nodes and is also configured to be a member of another group of nodes associated with another subnet portion.

8. The logic of claim 7, wherein the code is further configured to:

detect a removal of a third node from the routing table maintained by the first node;

determine that the third node had an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node;

determine that the third node was a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the third node'"'"'s IP address; and

remove at least one reference to the third node, the at least one reference indicating that the third node is a member of the group of nodes.

9. The logic of claim 7, wherein the update to the routing table maintained by the first node is generated via a routing protocol used by the first node.

10. The logic of claim 7, wherein each node of the group of nodes is used as part of a virtual local area network.

11. The logic of claim 10, wherein the virtual local area network is implemented via virtual private local area network service.

12. The logic of claim 7, wherein the code is further configured to receive a second configuration message configuring the first node with the at least one service, the second configuration message comprising a service identifier and an indication that the at least one service is associated with the group of nodes.

13. An apparatus comprising:

an interface configured to receive a configuration message for configuring a first node with an IP address, the configuration message comprising a subnet portion and a host portion, the subnet portion associated with a group of nodes and the host portion associated with the first node;

a processor coupled to the interface and configured to;

receive an update to a routing table maintained by the first node;

determine that the update to the routing table includes adding a second node to the routing table;

determine that the added second node has an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node; and

determine that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the IP address of the added second node;

wherein the interface is further configured to transmit, in response to determining that the added second node is a member of the group of nodes, a message to at least the added second node identifying at least one service supported by the first node for the group of nodes; and

wherein the first node is configured to be a member of the group of nodes and is also configured to be a member of another group of nodes associated with another subnet portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a removal of a third node from the routing table maintained by the first node;

determine that the third node had an IP address comprising a subnet portion that matches the subnet portion of the IP address associated with the first node;

determine that the third node was a member of the group of nodes based on the matching subnet portion of the third node'"'"'s IP address; and

remove at least one reference to the third node, the at least one reference indicating that the third node is a member of the group of nodes.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the update to the routing table maintained by the first node is generated via a routing protocol used by the first node.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each node of the group of nodes is used as part of a virtual local area network.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the virtual local area network is implemented via virtual private local area network service.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the interface is further configured to receive a second configuration message configuring the first node with the at least one service, the second configuration message comprising a service identifier and an indication that the at least one service is associated with the group of nodes.