Methods and apparatus for maintaining a map of node relationships for a network

In a computer system, a method for maintaining a map of node relationships for a network of related nodes, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a change relationship signal indicating a change in a relationship between a first network node and a second network node having a child relationship to the first network node;
• locating, in the map of node relationships, an entry corresponding to the second network node;
• and
• modifying the entry based on the change relationship signal so that the map of node relationships reflects the change in the relationship between the first network node and the second network node.

A computer system comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory comprising a map of node relationships for the network;
• and
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the processor and the memory;
• wherein the memory is encoded with logic instructions for a map maintainer application that, when performed on the processor, cause the processor to form a map maintainer that maintains the map of node relationships by performing the operations of:
• receiving a change relationship signal indicating a change in a relationship between a first network node and a second network node having a child relationship to the first network node;
• locating, in the map of node relationships in the memory, an entry corresponding to the second network node;
• and
• modifying the entry based on the change relationship signal so that the map of node relationships in the memory reflects the change in the relationship between the first network node and the second network node.

A computer program product that includes a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for maintaining a map of node relationships for a network, such that the instructions, when carried out by a computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of:

• receiving a change relationship signal indicating a change in a relationship between a first network node and a second network node having a child relationship to the first node;
• locating, in the map of node relationships, an entry corresponding to the second network node;
• and
• modifying the entry based on the change relationship signal so that the map of node relationships reflects the change in the relationship between the first network node and the second network node.

A computer system for maintaining a map of node relationships for a network of related nodes, the computer system comprising:

• means for receiving a change relationship signal indicating a change in a relationship between a first network node and a second network node having a child relationship to the first node;
• means for locating, in the map of node relationships, an entry corresponding to the second network node;
• and
• means for modifying the entry based on the change relationship signal so that the map of node relationships reflects the change in the relationship between the first network node and the second network node.