Method for configuring a network node

A method for processing a command message requesting the replacement of a first autonomous system number associated with a first network node implementing a dynamic routing protocol, with at least one second autonomous system number, knowledge of said first autonomous system number by said first node and said another network node being required to be able to set-up and maintain active at least one session with another network node, the processing method implemented by a second network node and comprising:

• verifying if there exists:
• at least one active session between the first node and the second node compliant with the dynamic routing protocol and wherein the first node is associated with the first autonomous system number;
• and/or
• at least one entry associated with the first autonomous system number in at least one routing table kept by the second node for the implementation of the dynamic routing protocol in the network;
• upon confirmation that at least one active session exists, replacing the first autonomous system number associated with the first node in the at least one active session and future sessions compliant with the dynamic routing protocol, with the at least one second autonomous system number, said replacement enabling maintenance of at least one session active between said first node and said second node, without interrupting at least one active session, by associating said second autonomous system number with said first node;
• and
• upon confirmation that there exists at least one entry in at least one routing table kept by the second node, replacing in the at least one routing table of the first autonomous system number associated with the at least one entry with the at least one second autonomous system number.

A first node of a network, the first node comprising a processor, the first node configured to:

• set up, using a first autonomous system number, at least one session set up with another network node, said at least one session being compliant with a dynamic routing protocol implemented in the network, the knowledge of said first autonomous system number by said first node and said another network node being required to be able to set up and maintain active said at least one session with said another network node;
• receive a configuration message comprising at least one item of information representing at least one second autonomous system number intended to be used on the network by the first node as a replacement for the first autonomous system number in active sessions and future sessions of the first node compliant with the dynamic routing protocol;
• configure the first node with the at least one second autonomous system number for the first node to use the at least one second autonomous number on the network as a replacement for the first autonomous system number in its active sessions and future sessions compliant with the dynamic routing protocol;
• identify at least one second network node having at least one session compliant with the active dynamic routing protocol with the first node, wherein the first node is associated with the first autonomous system number;
• and
• send, to the at least one second node, a command message requesting the replacement by the at least one second node of the first autonomous system number associated with the first node with the at least one second autonomous system number, such that after the replacement, the first node is associated with the second autonomous system number in said at least one active session, said replacement enabling maintenance of said at least one session active between said first node and said at least one second node, without interrupting said at least one active session, by associating said second autonomous system number with said first node.

A second node of a network, configured to process a command message requesting the replacement of a first autonomous system number associated with a first network node implementing a dynamic routing protocol, with at least one second autonomous system number, knowledge of said first autonomous system number by said first node and said another network node being required to be able to set up and maintain active at least one session with another network node, the second node comprising a processor and configured to:

• verify whether or not there exists:
• at least one active session between the first node and the second node compliant with the dynamic routing protocol and wherein the first node is associated with the first autonomous system number;
• and/or
• at least one entry associated with the first autonomous system number in at least one routing table kept by the second node for the implementation of the dynamic routing protocol in the network;
• upon verification that at least one active session exists, replace the first autonomous system number associated with the first node in the at least one active session and future sessions complaint with the dynamic routing protocol, with the at least one second autonomous system number, said replacement enabling maintenance of said at least one active session active between said first node and said second node, without interrupting said at least one active session, by associating said second autonomous system number with said first node;
• and
• upon verification that at least one entry exists in at least one routing table kept by the second node, replace in the at least one routing table the first autonomous system number associated with the at least one entry with the at least one second autonomous system number.