FLEXIBLE COMMAND AND CONTROL IN CONTENT CENTRIC NETWORKS

• US 20160380945A1
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wood, Christopher A., Scott, Glenn C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,075,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/18 Commands or executable codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/30 Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks

Abstract

One embodiment provides a transport-framework system that facilitates command messages to be communicated in a layer-agnostic manner. During operation, the system generates, by a component of a stack of communication modules, a first command message for a target entity. The first command message includes a name unique to the target entity, and the stack does not require a respective communication module to communicate only with a layer above or below thereof. The component sends the first command message to the target entity by inserting the first command message into a queue corresponding to the component. The component can also receive a second command message from a sending entity via a queue corresponding to the sending entity, and the second command message includes a name unique to the component. This facilitates command messages to be communicated in a layer-agnostic manner.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by a component of a stack of communication modules, a first command message for a target entity, the first command message including a name unique to the target entity, wherein the stack does not require a respective communication module to communicate only with a layer above or below thereof;

sending the first command message to the target entity by inserting the first command message into a queue corresponding to the component; and

receiving a second command message from a sending entity via a queue corresponding to the sending entity, the second command message including a name unique to the component,

thereby facilitating command messages to be communicated in a layer-agnostic manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target entity and the sending entity are one or more of:

another component of the stack;

a component of another stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack;

a forwarder associated with the stack; and

a forwarder associated with another stack.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the first command message further comprises:

sending the first command message via a message delivery system to the target entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to determining that the target entity is another component of the stack, a component of another stack, an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack, or a forwarder associated with another stack, setting an upward or downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component;

responsive to determining that the target entity is an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack, setting the upward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component; and

responsive to determining that the target entity is a forwarder associated with the stack, setting the downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second command message further comprises:

receiving the second command message via a message delivery system from the sending entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second command message is received via an upward or downward input queue associated with the sending entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the name for the first or second command message includes one or more of:

a name for the stack;

a name for a forwarder associated with a corresponding portal instance;

a name for a component of the stack; and

a command associated with a component of the stack.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a name for a component of the stack is based on one or more of:

a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level, wherein the HSVLI is applicable in a portal instance corresponding to the stack;

a flat name that does not indicate any hierarchy;

a role of the component of the stack; and

a unique identifier which is specific to the component of the stack.

16. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein a name for a component of the stack is based on one or more of:

a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level, wherein the HSVLI is applicable in a portal instance corresponding to the stack;

a flat name that does not indicate any hierarchy;

a role of the component of the stack; and

a unique identifier which is specific to the component of the stack.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method, the method comprising:

generating, by a component of a stack of communication modules, a first command message for a target entity, the first command message including a name unique to the target entity, wherein the stack does not require a respective communication module to communicate only with a layer above or below thereof;

sending the first command message to the target entity by inserting the first command message into a queue corresponding to the component; and

receiving a second command message from a sending entity via a queue corresponding to the sending entity, the second command message including a name unique to the component,

thereby facilitating command messages to be communicated in a layer-agnostic manner.

10. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the target entity and the sending entity are one or more of:

another component of the stack;

a component of another stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack;

a forwarder associated with the stack; and

a forwarder associated with another stack.

11. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein sending the first command message further comprises:

sending the first command message via a message delivery system to the target entity.

12. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to determining that the target entity is another component of the stack, a component of another stack, an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack, or a forwarder associated with another stack, setting an upward or downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component;

responsive to determining that the target entity is an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack, setting the upward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component; and

responsive to determining that the target entity is a forwarder associated with the stack, setting the downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component.

13. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein receiving the second command message further comprises:

receiving the second command message via a message delivery system from the sending entity.

14. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the second command message is received via an upward or downward input queue associated with the sending entity.

15. The storage medium of claim 9, wherein the name for the first or second command message includes one or more of:

a name for the stack;

a name for a forwarder associated with a corresponding portal instance;

a name for a component of the stack; and

a command associated with a component of the stack.

17. A computer system for facilitating forwarding of packets, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

generating, by a component of a stack of communication modules, a first command message for a target entity, the first command message including a name unique to the target entity, wherein the stack does not require a respective communication module to communicate only with a layer above or below thereof;

sending the first command message to the target entity by inserting the first command message into a queue corresponding to the component; and

receiving a second command message from a sending entity via a queue corresponding to the sending entity, the second command message including a name unique to the component,

thereby facilitating command messages to be communicated in a layer-agnostic manner.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the target entity and the sending entity are one or more of:

another component of the stack;

a component of another stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack;

an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack;

a forwarder associated with the stack; and

a forwarder associated with another stack.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein sending the first command message further comprises:

sending the first command message via a message delivery system to the target entity.

20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to determining that the target entity is another component of the stack, a component of another stack, an API instance associated with an application corresponding to another stack, or a forwarder associated with another stack, setting an upward or downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component;

responsive to determining that the target entity is an API instance associated with an application corresponding to the stack, setting the upward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component; and

responsive to determining that the target entity is a forwarder associated with the stack, setting the downward output queue for the component as the queue corresponding to the component.

21. The computer system of claim 17, wherein receiving the second command message further comprises:

receiving the second command message via a message delivery system from the sending entity.

22. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the second command message is received via an upward or downward input queue associated with the sending entity.

23. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the name for the first or second command message includes one or more of:

a name for the stack;

a name for a forwarder associated with a corresponding portal instance;

a name for a component of the stack; and

a command associated with a component of the stack.

24. The computer system of claim 17, wherein a name for a component of the stack is based on one or more of:

a hierarchically structured variable length identifier (HSVLI) which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level, wherein the HSVLI is applicable in a portal instance corresponding to the stack;

a flat name that does not indicate any hierarchy;

a role of the component of the stack; and

a unique identifier which is specific to the component of the stack.