Abstract: In certain embodiments, performing a defensive procedure involves receiving at a first speaker of a first autonomous system a path advertisement from a second speaker of a second autonomous system. The path advertisement advertises a path from the second speaker of the second autonomous system. It is determined whether the second autonomous system is a stub autonomous system and whether a path length of the path is greater than one. If the second autonomous system is a stub and the path length is greater than one, a defensive measure is performed for the path. Otherwise, a default procedure is performed for the path.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, performing a defensive procedure involves receiving at a first speaker of a first autonomous system a path advertisement from a second speaker of a second autonomous system. The path advertisement advertises a path from the second speaker of the second autonomous system. It is determined whether the second autonomous system is a stub autonomous system and whether a path length of the path is greater than one. If the second autonomous system is a stub and the path length is greater than one, a defensive measure is performed for the path. Otherwise, a default procedure is performed for the path.

Abstract: One embodiment identifies all one-hop neighbor nodes and two-hop neighbor nodes of a node; determines an active set of one-hop neighbor nodes for the node, comprising: includes in the active set each one-hop neighbor node that is either an edge node or connected with at least one two-hop neighbor node with which no other one-hop neighbor nodes are connected; and if the active set is not yet complete, then: determine all combinations of one-hop neighbor nodes that are not already in the active set; and tests each combination in order of each combination's total-energy value to determine whether a specific combination is able to complete the active set; if no combination is able to complete the active set, then including all one-hop neighbor nodes in the active set; and communicates a message to each one-hop neighbor node in the active set indicating that it is in the active set.

Abstract: One embodiment receives at a first node in at least a portion of a network a routing table, the portion of the network comprising the first node and one or more second nodes, the routing table specifying the immediate neighbor that provides each of the best paths in the portion of the network based on a total cost; using the routing table, determines at the first node every second node that is necessary for the first node to reach all edges of the network, the second nodes that are necessary for the first node to reach all edges of the network comprising an active set for the first node; and sends a message from the first node to every second node to facilitate determining whether to shut down the second node.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is provided at which it is used in a device. In this method, a logical identifier assigned to the device is identified and additionally, a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group is identified. The logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in a routing message, which is used in an inter-domain routing protocol, and this routing message is transmitted to a reflector device in communication with the device. The reflector device is configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in the computer network.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method and system is provided to determine and advertise a route advertisement in a reactive routing environment. In response to receiving a network address query with respect to a destination address at a routing device, an aggregate value, e,g, an address prefix, is determined and advertised in reply to the network address query. Determining of the aggregate value may comprise identifying within a range of network addresses represented by the aggregate value respective addresses for which the routing device does not have reachability information. The routing device may send address queries with respect to the identified addresses, to determine reachability via the routing device of those addresses. The aggregate value may be advertised conditional upon determining that a percentage of addresses within the corresponding range that can be reached via the routing device satisfies a predefined minimal coverage value.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method is provided. In this method, a network address query is received. A first network address of a known apparatus is retrieved from a routing table, in response to the network address query. A second network address may be determined based upon the network address query, the second network address having a smaller bit length than the first network address. An aggregate value may be advertised that represents a range of reachable network addresses, the range of reachable network addresses including the second network address.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is provided at which it is used in a device. In this method, a logical identifier assigned to the device is identified and additionally, a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group is identified. The logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in a routing message, which is used in an inter-domain routing protocol, and this routing message is transmitted to a reflector device in communication with the device. The reflector device is configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in the computer network.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing a database related to a first node in a network with multiple nodes. Each node includes a database different from a database on a different node. An inquiry control message is sent to each node in a candidate set of one or more nodes on the network, which are different from the first node. In response to the inquiry control message, the first node receives a first set of one or more messages from a particular node different from the first node. The first set indicates a portion from the database of the particular node. The portion is relevant for the first node. A particular portion of a first database for the first node is derived from the first set of messages. The particular portion is less than all of the first database. These techniques allow the first node to derive its full database from multiple adjacent nodes.

Abstract: A method for communicating packets in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a packet at a network element and identifying a sequence number included in the packet that correlates to awareness information associated with one or more adjacent network elements. A table included in the network element may be updated in order to account for the awareness information included within the packet that has not been accounted for by the network element. In cases where the awareness information included in the packet has already been accounted for, the packet may be ignored.

Abstract: The designated forwarding device functionality for forwarding of packets originated on a broadcast link among layer 2 is shared among multiple forwarding devices of different adjacency networks. As these networks do not form adjacencies, the forwarding devices do not natively participate in a same spanning tree for determining how to forward packets, and a designated forwarding device is used for forwarding packets originated on the common broadcast link. Distributing the role of a designated forwarding device among multiple of the forwarding devices provides a means for more efficiently forwarding packets to their destinations.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, method, and apparatus for preventing excessive transmission of routing information in a communications network occurs by receiving a network routing address at a connection node in a communications network, the network routing address allowing the transmission of data packets from a source node to a destination node in the communications network; determining a longest summary route covering a path to the destination node; creating a list comprising a summary of all neighbor connection nodes of the connection node; and transmitting an update of the longest summary route of the network routing address towards all neighbor nodes advertising a destination address comprising a shorter address prefix, wherein the transmitting process occurs sequentially beginning with a first neighbor connection node entered in the list.

Abstract: The designated forwarding device functionality for forwarding of packets originated on a broadcast link among layer 2 is shared among multiple forwarding devices of different adjacency networks. As these networks do not form adjacencies, the forwarding devices do not natively participate in a same spanning tree for determining how to forward packets, and a designated forwarding device is used for forwarding packets originated on the common broadcast link. Distributing the role of a designated forwarding device among multiple of the forwarding devices provides a means for more efficiently forwarding packets to their destinations.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method is provided at which it is used in a device. In this method, a logical identifier assigned to the device is identified and additionally, a mesh group identifier identifying a mesh group is identified. The logical identifier and the mesh group identifier are encoded in a routing message, which is used in an inter-domain routing protocol, and this routing message is transmitted to a reflector device in communication with the device. The reflector device is configured to transmit the routing message to a remote device included in the computer network.

Abstract: An apparatus for communicating packets in a network environment is provided that includes a first network element that includes a first neighbor list, the first network element being coupled to a second network element and a third network element. The first network element is operable to receive a second neighbor list from the second network element and a third neighbor list from the third network element. The first network element is further operable to determine one or more overlaps provided by the second and third neighbor lists when compared to the first neighbor list, the first network element relaying an update that it receives based on the one or more overlaps.

Abstract: A method for verifying a validity of a path is provided that includes receiving an advertisement communication at a first autonomous system from a second autonomous system, the advertisement communication including a list of one or more connected autonomous systems. The method also includes identifying whether the first autonomous system claims a connection to the second autonomous system and whether the second autonomous system claims a connection to the first autonomous system such that two-way connectivity is established between the autonomous systems. In response to the establishment of the two-way connectivity, a directed graph is constructed that includes two nodes representing the first and second autonomous systems respectively. An edge may be formed that connects the two nodes.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system, method, and apparatus for preventing excessive transmission of routing information in a communications network occurs by receiving a network routing address at a connection node in a communications network, the network routing address allowing the transmission of data packets from a source node to a destination node in the communications network; determining a longest summary route covering a path to the destination node; creating a list comprising a summary of all neighbor connection nodes of the connection node; and transmitting an update of the longest summary route of the network routing address towards all neighbor nodes advertising a destination address comprising a shorter address prefix, wherein the transmitting process occurs sequentially beginning with a first neighbor connection node entered in the list.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a method is provided. In this method, a network address query is received. A first network address of a known apparatus is retrieved from a routing table, in response to the network address query. A second network address may be determined based upon the network address query, the second network address having a smaller bit length than the first network address. An aggregate value may be advertised that represents a range of reachable network addresses, the range of reachable network addresses including the second network address.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing a database related to a first node in a network with multiple nodes. Each node includes a database different from a database on a different node. An inquiry control message is sent to each node in a candidate set of one or more nodes on the network, which are different from the first node. In response to the inquiry control message, the first node receives a first set of one or more messages from a particular node different from the first node. The first set indicates a portion from the database of the particular node. The portion is relevant for the first node. A particular portion of a first database for the first node is derived from the first set of messages. The particular portion is less than all of the first database. These techniques allow the first node to derive its full database from multiple adjacent nodes.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for synchronizing a database related to a first node in a network with multiple nodes. Each node includes a database different from a database on a different node. An inquiry control message is sent to each node in a candidate set of one or more nodes on the network, which are different from the first node. In response to the inquiry control message, the first node receives a first set of one or more messages from a particular node different from the first node. The first set indicates a portion from the database of the particular node. The portion is relevant for the first node. A particular portion of a first database for the first node is derived from the first set of messages. The particular portion is less than all of the first database. These techniques allow the first node to derive its full database from multiple adjacent nodes.