Routing methods, systems, and computer program products using multiple outside-scope identifiers

• US 10,404,583 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2018
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MORRIS ROUTING TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US16/153,168
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/247 using M:N active or standby paths
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/38 adapting due to varying relative distances between nodes

Abstract

In various embodiments, an apparatus, a non-transitory computer-readable media, and a method are provided, involving a technique to: based on a first outside-scope identifier and via a first network interface of the current node that is in a second network path segment including the previous node and the current node, receive an indication of a receipt of a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol or a label forwarding paradigm, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, in a first region, a second region communicatively coupled to the previous node via the first network interface of the current node, where the first outside-scope identifier does not identify any network interface; identify, from a header of the first packet, a second outside-scope identifier that does not identify any network interface, the second outside-scope identifier identifying a third region that does not include the current node; and using the second outside-scope identifier, cause transmission, via a first path segment that includes the current node and that is at least partially outside the third region, first data from the current node to a second network interface of a next node that is at least partially included in the third region.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a current node positioned in a network along a network path including a transmitting node, a previous node, and a receiving node, cause the one or more processors to:

based on a first outside-scope identifier and via a first network interface of the current node that is in a second network path segment including the previous node and the current node, receive an indication of a receipt of a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol or a label forwarding paradigm, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, in a first region, a second region communicatively coupled to the previous node via the first network interface of the current node, where the first outside-scope identifier does not identify any network interface;

identify, from a header of the first packet, a second outside-scope identifier that does not identifying identify any network interface, the second outside-scope identifier identifying a third region that does not include the current node; and

using the second outside-scope identifier, cause transmission, via a first path segment that includes the current node and that is at least partially outside the third region, first data from the current node to a second network interface of a next node that is at least partially included in the third region, wherein the first path segment is selected from a plurality of path segments, including at least one multi-hop path segment, that are capable of communicatively coupling the current node and the second network interface of the next node.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to:

identify, from the header of the first packet, a first instruction associated with the first outside-scope identifier; and

cause a first operation identified by the first instruction to be performed.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 2, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the header includes a second instruction associated with the second outside-scope identifier for use by the next node at least partially included in the third region to cause a second operation identified by the second instruction to be performed.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the header includes an instruction associated with the second outside-scope identifier for use by the next node at least partially included in the third region to cause an operation identified by the instruction to be performed.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the first path segment is selected by identifying a next network interface included in the first path segment and transmitting the first data via the next network interface.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the next network interface is identified based on at least one of a policy, a metric, or a routing table.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the next node at least partially includes the third region.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the next node completely includes the third region.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the receiving node includes the first region.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the header includes a node-scoped identifier that identifies a receiving node network interface included in the receiving node.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a loopback network interface.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a virtual network interface.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the virtual network interface is included in a virtual node hosted by the receiving node.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by at least one topology node for use by the current node to determine the first path segment from a plurality of path segments.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the network path information is received, at the transmitting node, as a result of a communication of a policy representation from the at least one topology node to the transmitting node, such that the transmitting node creates header content based on the policy representation and transmits the header content along with the first data in the network path towards the current node, such that the header of the first packet includes the header content.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by the transmitting node.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the first path segment is determined in response to the receipt of the first packet.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the first path segment is selected without control signaling after the receipt of the first packet.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

contents of the header of the first packet include everything necessary for routing the first data.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

a current state of the network is not maintained by the current node, nor the previous node, nor the next node, and nor the receiving node.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

a number of protocols used to transmit the data is reduced.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the first data is capable of being transmitted by the current node along different ones of the plurality of path segments.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the first data is capable of being transmitted by the current node along different ones of the plurality of path segments based on a policy and a current state of the network.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that:

the IP network protocol or the label forwarding paradigm include the IP network protocol, and the first data is caused to be transmitted to the second network interface, using the second outside-scope identifier, despite the second outside-scope identifier not including any network interface identifier portion specified by the IP network protocol for identifying any network interface, by virtue of the second outside-scope identifier identifying, for the current node, the third region.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the current node to operate such that at least one of:

said second outside-scope identifier identifies, for the current node, the third region;

said second outside-scope identifier identifies, for a certain node other than the current node, the third region;

said first packet is specified according to the IP network protocol;

said first packet is specified according to the label forwarding paradigm;

said first packet is specified according to the label forwarding paradigm, where the label switching forwarding paradigm includes a Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) network protocol;

said first packet is specified according to the label forwarding paradigm, where the label switching includes Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS);

said first packet is specified according to the label forwarding paradigm, where a forwarding paradigm of the label forwarding paradigm includes a network protocol;

said first packet is specified according to the label forwarding paradigm, where a forwarding paradigm of the label forwarding paradigm includes a routing protocol;

said first path segment includes the receiving node;

said first path segment does not include the receiving node;

said first path segment is only partially outside the third region;

said first path segment is completely outside the third region;

said receiving node includes a destination node;

said receiving node does not include a destination node;

said transmitting node includes a source node;

said transmitting node does not include a source node;

said previous node includes the transmitting node;

said previous node includes a path node between the transmitting node and the current node;

said next node includes the receiving node;

said next node includes a path node between the current node and the receiving node;

said first path segment includes the at least one multi-hop path segment;

said first path segment does not include the at least one multi-hop path segment;

said first region is based on a first domain;

said first region includes a first particular domain;

said first region includes a first particular area;

said second region is based on a second domain;

said second region includes a second particular domain;

said second region includes a second particular area;

said third region is based on a third domain;

said third region includes a third particular domain;

said third region includes a third particular area;

said first outside-scope identifier does not identify the first network interface nor the second network interface;

said second network interface of the next node is at least partially included in the third region, by the third region being at least partially included in the next node;

said second network interface of the next node is at least partially included in the third region, by the third region overlapping at least a portion of the next node;

said second network interface of the next node is at least partially included in the third region, by the second network interface of the next node being at least partially included in the third region or the third region being at least partially included in the next node;

said first data is transmitted from the current node in another packet that is a copy of the first packet;

said first data is transmitted from the current node in another packet that is at least partially similar to the first packet;

said identification, from the header of the first packet, of the first outside-scope identifier is performed, by a detection thereof;

said receipt of the indication of the receipt of a first packet, includes receiving, at the one or more processors, a signal from an incoming network interface component upon receipt of the first packet by the incoming network interface component;

said receipt of the indication of the receipt of the first packet is based on the first outside-scope identifier in a manner that is the same as that in which the first data is caused to be transmitted using the second outside-scope identifier;

said receipt of the indication of the receipt of the first packet is based on the first outside-scope identifier in a manner that is similar as that in which the first data is caused to be transmitted using the second outside-scope identifier;

said receipt of the indication of the receipt of the first packet is based on the first outside-scope identifier in a manner that is different from that in which the first data is caused to be transmitted using the second outside-scope identifier;

said one or more processors includes multiple processors that, when different subsets of the instructions are each executed by a corresponding one of the different multiple processors, each perform different ones of;

the receiving, the identification, and the transmission causation;

said one or more processors includes a single processor that, when the instructions are executed, performs each of;

the receiving, the identification, and the transmission causation;

said non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of a system that further comprises the current node;

said non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of a system that further comprises the transmitting node and the receiving node;

or

said non-transitory computer-readable media is included as part of the current node.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a particular node configured to be positioned in a network path along which first data is capable of being transmitted from a transmitting node to a receiving node and through a previous node which are all in the network path, the particular node including;

at least one non-transitory memory configured to store instructions, and one or more processors in communication with the at least one non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors is configured to execute the instructions to cause the particular node to;

based on a first outside-scope identifier and via a first network interface of the particular node that is in a second network path segment including the previous node and the particular node, receive a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol or a label forwarding paradigm, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, for a first region, a second region communicatively coupled to the previous node via the first network interface of the particular node, without identifying any particular network interface;

identify, in a header of the first packet, a second outside-scope identifier identifying a third region that does not include the particular node, without identifying any particular network interface; and

based on the second outside-scope identifier, transmit, via a first path segment that includes the particular node and that is at least partially outside the third region, the first data from the particular node to a second network interface of a next node that is at least partially included in the third region, wherein the first path segment is selected from a plurality of path segments, including at least one multi-hop path segment, that are capable of communicatively coupling the particular node and the second network interface of the next node.

29. A current node configured to be positioned in a network path along which first data is capable of being transmitted from a transmitting node to a receiving node and through a previous node which are all in the network path, the current node comprising:

means for receiving, based on a first outside-scope identifier and via a first network interface of the current node that is in a second network path segment including the previous node and the current node, a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol or a label forwarding paradigm, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, for a first region, a second region communicatively coupled to the previous node via the first network interface of the current node, without identifying any particular network interface, the first packet including a header with a second outside-scope identifier that identifies a third region that does not include the current node, without identifying any particular network interface; and

means for transmitting, based on the second outside-scope identifier and via a first path segment that includes the current node and that is at least partially outside the third region, the first data from the current node to a second network interface of a next node that is at least partially included in the third region, wherein the first path segment is selected from a plurality of path segments, including at least one multi-hop path segment, that are capable of communicatively coupling the current node and the second network interface of the next node.

30. A method, comprising:

configuring at least a portion of a plurality of instructions; and

causing storage of the at least portion of the instructions on at least one non-transitory memory, where the instructions, as a result of the instructions being executed by circuitry of a current node positioned in a network along a network path including a transmitting node, a previous node, and a receiving node, cause the current node to;

based on a first outside-scope identifier and via a first network interface of the current node that is in a second network path segment including the previous node and the current node, allow receipt of an indication of a receipt of a first packet that is specified according to an Internet Protocol (IP) network protocol or a label forwarding paradigm, the first outside-scope identifier identifying, in a first region, a second region communicatively coupled to the previous node via the first network interface of the current node, where the first outside-scope identifier does not identify any network interface;

identify, from a header of the first packet, a second outside-scope identifier that does not identify any network interface, the second outside-scope identifier identifying a third region that does not include the current node; and

based on the second outside-scope identifier, cause transmission, via a first path segment that includes the current node and that is at least partially outside the third region, first data from the current node to a second network interface of a next node that is at least partially included in the third region, wherein the first path segment is selected from a plurality of path segments, including at least one multi-hop path segment, that are capable of communicatively coupling the current node and the second network interface of the next node.

31. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to;

identify, from the header of the first packet, a first instruction associated with the first outside-scope identifier; and

cause a first operation identified by the first instruction to be performed.

32. The method of claim 31, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the header includes a second instruction associated with the second outside-scope identifier for use by the next node at least partially included in the third region to cause a second operation identified by the second instruction to be performed.

33. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the header includes an instruction associated with the second outside-scope identifier for use by the next node at least partially included in the third region to cause an operation identified by the instruction to be performed.

34. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the first path segment is selected by identifying a next network interface included in the first path segment and transmitting the first data via the next network interface.

35. The method of claim 34, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the next network interface is identified based on at least one of a policy, a metric, or a routing table.

36. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the next node at least partially includes the third region.

37. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the next node is completely outside the third region.

38. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node includes the first region.

39. The method of claim 38, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the header includes a node-scoped identifier that identifies a receiving node network interface included in the receiving node.

40. The method of claim 39, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a loopback network interface.

41. The method of claim 39, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a virtual network interface.

42. The method of claim 41, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the virtual network interface is included in a virtual node hosted by the receiving node.

43. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by at least one topology node for use by the current node to determine the first path segment from a plurality of path segments.

44. The method of claim 43, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the network path information is received, at the transmitting node, as a result of a communication of a policy representation from the at least one topology node to the transmitting node, such that the transmitting node creates the header based on the policy representation and transmits the header along with the first data in the network path towards the current node.

45. The method of claim 43, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by multiple topology nodes.

46. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

network path information including the first and second outside-scope identifiers is predetermined by the transmitting node.

47. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the network path is specified using a first number of identifiers that is fewer than a second number of identifiers required to specify the network path deterministically.

48. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the first path segment is determined in response to the receipt of the first packet.

49. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the first path segment is selected without control signaling after the receipt of the first packet.

50. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

contents of the header of the first packet include everything necessary for routing the first data.

51. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

a current state of the network is not maintained by the current node, nor the previous node, nor the next node, and nor the receiving node.

52. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

a number of protocols used to transmit the data is reduced.

53. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the first data is capable of being transmitted by the current node along different ones of the plurality of path segments.

54. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the first data is capable of being transmitted by the current node along different ones of the plurality of path segments based on a policy and a current state of the network.

55. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the IP network protocol or the label forwarding paradigm includes the IP network protocol, and the first data is caused to be transmitted to the second network interface, based on the second outside-scope identifier, despite the second outside-scope identifier not including any network interface identifier portion specified by the IP network protocol for identifying any network interface, by virtue of the second outside-scope identifier identifying, for the current node, the third region.

56. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node is included in the third region.

57. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the next node completely includes the third region.

58. The method of claim 57, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the header includes a node-scoped identifier in a node-scoped identifier space of the next node that identifies a receiving node network interface included in the receiving node.

59. The method of claim 58, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a loopback network interface.

60. The method of claim 58, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the receiving node network interface included in the receiving node is a virtual network interface.

61. The method of claim 60, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the virtual network interface is included in the receiving node operating as a virtual node hosted by the next node.

62. The method of claim 30, and comprising:

further configuring the at least portion of the instructions such that, as a result of the instructions being executed by the circuitry of the current node, the current node is caused to operate such that;

the IP network protocol or the label forwarding paradigm includes the IP network protocol;

the header includes a third outside-scope identifier that does not include any network interface identifier portion specified by the IP network protocol for identifying any network interface, the third outside-scope identifier identifying a fourth region that does not include the next node; and

based on the third outside-scope identifier, cause transmission of, by the next node and via a second path segment that includes the next node and that is at least partially outside the fourth region, the first data to a third network interface of the receiving node that is at least partially included in the fourth region, wherein the second path segment is selected from a plurality of path segments, including at least one multi-hop path segment, that are capable of communicatively coupling the next node and the receiving node.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein at least one of:

the configuring occurs at the current node;

the configuring occurs at a certain node other than the current node;

the configuring and the further configuring occur at the current node;

the configuring and the further configuring occur at a certain node other than the current node;

the configuring occurs at the current node and the further configuring occurs at a certain node other than the current node;

the further configuring occurs at the current node and the configuring occurs at a certain node other than the current node;

only part of the instructions is subject to the configuring;

an entirety of the instructions is subject to the configuring;

the circuitry includes at least one of;

one or more processors, one or more microprocessors, one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), one or more graphics processing units, one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), one or more optical or photonic processors, or one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs);

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring, is also subject to the further configuring;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring, is the same as the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the further configuring;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring, is different from the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the further configuring;

a first part of the at least portion of the instructions is subject to the configuring, and a second part of the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the further configuring;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring is a part thereof that, when executed by the circuitry of the current node, causes the current node to perform the allowance of the receipt, the identification, and the causation of the transmission;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring is a part thereof that, when executed by the circuitry of the current node, causes the current node to perform at least one of the allowance of the receipt, the identification, or the causation of the transmission;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring is not a part thereof that, when executed by the circuitry of the current node, causes the current node to perform the allowance of the receipt, the identification, or the causation of the transmission;

the at least portion of the instructions that is subject to the configuring is a part thereof that, when executed by the circuitry of the current node, causes the current node to perform at least one operation other than the allowance of the receipt, the identification, and the causation of the transmission;

the configuring includes customization;

the configuring includes causing the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be set;

the configuring includes causing the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be created;

the configuring includes causing at least one aspect of the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be set;

the configuring includes causing at least one aspect of the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be created;

the configuring includes causing an index associated with the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be set;

the configuring includes causing an index associated with the at least one of the first outside-scope identifier or the second outside-scope identifier to be created;

the plurality of the instructions includes a subset of instructions required for the current node to operate;

the plurality of the instructions includes an entirety of instructions required for the current node to operate;

the causing storage includes causing storage of the at least portion of the instructions on the at least one non-transitory memory for being accessible to a user so that the user is capable of installing the at least portion of the instructions on other memory of the current node, for execution;

the causing storage includes causing storage of the at least portion of the instructions on the at least one non-transitory memory, that is part of the current node;

the causing storage includes causing storage of the at least portion of the instructions on the at least one non-transitory memory, that is part of the current node, so that the current node is provided to a user for use;

the causing storage includes installation of the at least portion of the instructions;

the causing storage includes causing transfer of the at least portion of the instructions;

the at least one non-transitory memory includes a register;

the at least one non-transitory memory includes volatile memory;

the at least one non-transitory memory includes persistent storage;

the method further comprises configuring the current node;

the method further comprises coupling the at least one non-transitory memory to the circuitry;

the method further comprises providing the current node;

the method further comprises providing the at least one non-transitory memory;

the method further comprises providing the circuitry;

the at least one non-transitory memory is part of the current node;

the at least one non-transitory memory is separate from current node memory of the current node;

the configuring and the further configuring configure a same set of instructions;

the configuring and the further configuring configure a same set of instructions, where the configuring configures a first subset of the same set of instructions, and the further configuring configures a second subset of the same set of instructions that is different from the first subset of the same set of instructions;

the configuring and the further configuring configure a same one or more instructions of the at least portion of the plurality of instructions;

or

the configuring and the further configuring configure a different one or more instructions of the at least portion of the plurality of instructions.