Method for routing information over a network employing centralized control
First Claim
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1. A method implemented by a network device comprising:
- maintaining a plurality of topology databases, whereineach of the topology databases comprise information regarding a topology of a network,the network comprisesa plurality of nodes, anda plurality of optical links,each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, andthe maintaining comprisessending a message, whereinthe message is sent from a master node to a backup node, andthe master node provides centralized routing control of the network,receiving a reply in response to the message, whereinthe reply is received, at the master node, from the backup node,the reply comprises
backup topology information,the backup topology information identifies a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, andthe backup topology database is one of the topology databases,comparing the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, whereinthe comparing is performed at the master node,the authoritative topology information identifies an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node,the authoritative topology database is another of the topology databases, andthe master node maintains the authoritative topology database, at least in part, by determining the topology of the network, andif the comparing indicates that the backup topology database is not up-to-date,transferring a copy of at least a portion of the authoritative topology database from the master node to the backup node, andreplacing the backup topology database with the copy of the at least the portion of the authoritative topology database.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for centralized control of a network is described. The network includes a number of nodes. The method includes creating a database and storing the database on a master node of the network. The database contains topology information regarding a topology of the network. Each of the nodes is coupled to at least one other of the nodes, with the master node being one of the nodes.
38 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a network device comprising:
maintaining a plurality of topology databases, wherein each of the topology databases comprise information regarding a topology of a network, the network comprises a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of optical links, each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and the maintaining comprises sending a message, wherein the message is sent from a master node to a backup node, and the master node provides centralized routing control of the network, receiving a reply in response to the message, wherein the reply is received, at the master node, from the backup node, the reply comprises
backup topology information,the backup topology information identifies a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, and the backup topology database is one of the topology databases, comparing the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein the comparing is performed at the master node, the authoritative topology information identifies an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node, the authoritative topology database is another of the topology databases, and the master node maintains the authoritative topology database, at least in part, by determining the topology of the network, and if the comparing indicates that the backup topology database is not up-to-date, transferring a copy of at least a portion of the authoritative topology database from the master node to the backup node, and replacing the backup topology database with the copy of the at least the portion of the authoritative topology database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A network device comprising:
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a processor; a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, coupled to the processor; and a plurality of instructions, encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and configured to cause the processor to maintain a plurality of topology databases, wherein each of the topology databases comprise information regarding a topology of a network, the network comprises a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of optical links, each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and the instructions configured to cause the processor to maintain the topology databases comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to; cause master node to send a message to a backup node, wherein the network device is the master node, the master node is configured to provide centralized routing control of the network, receive a reply in response to the message, wherein the reply is received, at the master node, from the backup node, the reply comprises backup topology information, the backup topology information identifies a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, the backup topology database is one of the topology databases, and compare the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to compare are executed by the master node, the authoritative topology information identifies an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node, the authoritative topology database is another of the topology databases, and the master node maintains the authoritative topology database, at least in part, by determining the topology of the network, and if the instructions configured to cause the processor to compare indicate that the backup topology database is not up-to-date, transfer a copy of at least a portion of the authoritative topology database from the master node to the backup node, and replace the backup topology database with the copy of the at least the portion of the authoritative topology database. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer program product comprising:
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a plurality of instructions, comprising a first set of instructions, executable on a network device, configured to maintain a plurality of topology databases, wherein each of the topology databases comprise information regarding a topology of a network, the network comprises a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of optical links, each of the nodes is communicatively coupled to another of the nodes by at least one of the optical links, such that the network is a mesh network, and the first set of instructions comprises a second set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to cause a master node to send a message to a backup node, wherein the network device is the master node, the master node is configured to provide centralized routing control of the network, a third set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to receive a reply in response to the message, wherein the reply is received at the master node, from the backup node, the reply comprises backup topology information, the backup topology information identifies a backup topology database maintained at the backup node, the backup topology database is one of the topology databases, and a fourth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to compare the backup topology information and authoritative topology information, wherein the fourth set of instructions are executed by the master node, the authoritative topology information identifies an authoritative topology database maintained at the master node, the authoritative topology database is another of the topology databases, and the master node maintains the authoritative topology database, at least in part, by determining the topology of the network, and a fifth set of instructions, executable on the network device, configured to, if the fourth set of instructions indicate that the backup topology database is not up-to-date, transfer a copy of at least a portion of the authoritative topology database from the master node to the backup node, and replace the backup topology database with the copy of the at least the portion of the authoritative topology database; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification