# US 2004/0073659 A1 · Method and apparatus for managing nodes in a network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2004/0073659 A1 - Document ID: US20040073659A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/271,599 - Filed: 2002-10-15 - Published: 2004-04-15 - Earliest claimed: 2002-10-15 - Inventors: Carl Rajsic; Antonio Petti; Martin Charbonneau; Tarek Radi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20040073659A1 ## CPC - H04L 41/0893: Assignment of logical groups to network elements - H04L 45/04: {Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing} - H04L 45/46: {Cluster building} - H04L 61/5069: for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for managing nodes of a network. In one embodiment, the invention is implemented as part of a computer based network management system. The system allows a network operator to select, view and modify the configuration of a logical group node at any level of a network hierarchy. The configuration of a logical group node may include, without limitation, logical group node attributes, summary addresses, and any other information that may be relevant to implementing the desired function of a logical group node. After a change is made to the configuration of a logical group node, the system automatically identifies all physical nodes that may potentially function as the logical group node whose configuration has changed, and causes the configurations of the logical group node to be updated on the identified physical nodes to reflect the change made to the logical group node. In this manner, modifications made to a logical group node are automatically propagated to all physical nodes, at lower levels of hierarchy therein, that might run the logical group node function, eliminating the need to manually update each physical node's configuration one physical node at a time. The invention may be used with any network that involves the aggregation of physical nodes into a hierarchy of logical group nodes, including, without limitation, networks using the PNNI and IP protocols. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for configuring nodes of a network comprising the steps of: receiving updated configuration information for a logical node; identifying a plurality of physical nodes capable of functioning as said logical node; automatically providing said updated configuration information to said plurality of identified physical nodes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a representation of said network prior to receiving said updated configuration information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said network comprises a plurality of levels, and wherein said step of displaying a representation of said network comprises displaying a representation of said plurality of levels. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said step of displaying a representation of said network comprises displaying a representation of said logical node. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying current configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said step of receiving said updated configuration information comprises receiving modified current configuration information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said nodes of said network comprise switching systems. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said step of identifying said plurality of physical nodes comprises identifying physical nodes containing configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving a logical node selection command selecting said logical node prior to said step of receiving updated configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said logical node occupies a first level in said hierarchy, and wherein said step of identifying said plurality ofphysical nodes comprises identifying nodes at a second level of said hierarchy comprising configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said configuration information for said logical node comprises a peer group identifier. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said logical node occupies a first level in said hierarchy, and wherein said step of identifying said plurality of physical nodes comprises identifying nodes at successively lower levels comprising configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said configuration information for said logical node comprises a peer group identifier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of obtaining current configuration information for said logical node prior to receiving said updated configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said step of obtaining current configuration information for said logical node comprises identifying a first physical node currently functioning as said logical node. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said step of obtaining current configuration information for said logical node comprises obtaining said current configuration information from a configuration information database. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein said step of identifying said first physical node comprises querying a database comprising information identifying physical nodes functioning as logical nodes of said network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said nodes at said second level of said hierarchy comprise logical nodes. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying a plurality of logical nodes of said network prior to said step of receiving updated configuration information for said logical node. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 wherein said step of identifying a plurality of logical nodes of said network comprises obtaining logical node configuration information from a plurality of physical nodes of said network. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said step of displaying said representation of said network comprises displaying said representation on a computer display screen. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said step of automatically providing said updated configuration information comprises communicating with said plurality of identified nodes utilizing a compatible communications protocol. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein said communications protocol comprises SNMP. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said nodes of said network utilize a PNNI protocol. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said nodes of said network utilize an IP protocol. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said current configuration information for said logical node comprises a first peer group identifier for said logical node and wherein said identifying step comprises identifying a plurality of lower level nodes comprising said first peer group identifier. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of uniquely identifying each of said plurality of logical nodes of said network. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein said step of uniquely identifying each of said plurality of logical nodes of said network comprises identifying said logical nodes via peer group identifiers and child peer group identifiers.