System, security and network management using self-organizing communication orbits in distributed networks

A server system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more communication interfaces for communicating with individual machines in a non-static collection of machines;
• and
• memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
• at the server system, performing operations with respect to two or more linear communication orbits, wherein
• the two or more linear communication orbits include at least
• a first linear communication orbit, consisting of a first subset of the non-static collection of machines, wherein the first subset of the non-static collection of machines is self-organized into a first ordered sequence in accordance with a first predefined order of respective unique identifiers of machines in the first subset of the non-static collection of machines, and
• a second linear communication orbit, consisting of a second subset of the non-static collection of machines distinct from the first subset of the non-static collection of machines, wherein the second subset of the non-static collection of machines is self-organized into a second ordered sequence in accordance with a second predefined order of respective unique identifiers of machines in the second subset of the non-static collection of machines;
• the server system includes:
• registration information, including the respective unique identifiers of machines in the first linear communication orbit and the respective unique identifiers of machines in the second linear communication orbit;
• and
• the operations with respect to two or more linear communication orbits including:
• executing instructions to perform system, security, or network management operations related to one or more of the machines of the non-static collection of machines via at least one of the first and second linear communication orbits, wherein:
• a respective machine of the non-static collection of machine, located in a respective linear communication orbit of the two or more linear communication orbits, receives a message from an upstream machine in the respective machine's respective linear communication orbit;
• the respective machine performs a security, system, or network management operation responsive to the received message;
• the respective machine updates the message based on its local state or information based on the performed operation;
• and
• the respective machine forwards the updated message to a downstream machine in the respective machine's respective linear communication orbit.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a server system having one or more communication interfaces for communicating with individual machines in a non-static collection of machines and one or more processors, cause the server system to perform operations comprising:

• at the server system, performing operations with respect to two or more linear communication orbits, wherein
• the two or more linear communication orbits include at least
• a first linear communication orbit, consisting of a first subset of the non-static collection of machines, wherein the first subset of the non-static collection of machines is self-organized into a first ordered sequence in accordance with a first predefined order of respective unique identifiers of machines in the first subset of the non-static collection of machines, and
• a second linear communication orbit, consisting of a second subset of the non-static collection of machines distinct from the first subset of the non-static collection of machines, wherein the second subset of the non-static collection of machines is self-organized into a second ordered sequence in accordance with a second predefined order of respective unique identifiers of machines in the second subset of the non-static collection of machines;
• the server system includes:
• registration information, including the respective unique identifiers of machines in the first linear communication orbit and the respective unique identifiers of machines in the second linear communication orbit;
• and
• the operations with respect to two or more linear communication orbits including:
• executing instructions to perform system, security, or network management operations related to one or more of the machines of the non-static collection of machines via at least one of the first and second linear communication orbits, wherein:
• a respective machine of the non-static collection of machine, located in a respective linear communication orbit of the two or more linear communication orbits, receives a message from an upstream machine in the respective machine's respective linear communication orbit;
• the respective machine performs a security, system, or network management operation responsive to the received message;
• the respective machine updates the message based on its local state or information based on the performed operation;
• and
• the respective machine forwards the updated message to a downstream machine in the respective machine's respective linear communication orbit.