Computing device and methods for synchronizing networking information with a topology server

A method for performing synchronization of networking information with a server, the method comprising:

• storing in a memory of a computing device a local topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising local networking data and a unique local version number, the local version numbers increasing from a first value corresponding to a first entry in the local topology table to a last value L1 corresponding to a last entry in the local topology table;
• storing in the memory a server topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising server networking data;
• storing in the memory a server version number S1;
• determining by a processing unit of the computing device new local networking data;
• updating by the processing unit the local topology table by adding one or more new entry to the local topology table, the one or more new entry comprising the new local networking data and respective increasing local version numbers greater than L1;
• sending by the processing unit to the server via a communication interface of the computing device a client synchronization message, the client synchronization message comprising the new local networking data and a local version number L2 corresponding to the last entry in the updated local topology table, where L2 is greater than L1;
• receiving by the processing unit from the server via the communication interface a server synchronization message, the server synchronization message comprising new server networking data and a new server version number S2 greater than S1;
• updating by the processing unit the server topology table by adding one or more new entry to the server topology table, the one or more new entry comprising the new server networking data;
• and
• updating by the processing unit the server version number from the currently stored server version number S1 to the new server version number S2.

A computing device comprising:

• memory storing:
• a local topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising local networking data and a unique local version number, the local version numbers increasing from a first value corresponding to a first entry in the local topology table to a last value corresponding to a last entry in the local topology table;
• a server topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising server networking data;
• and
• a server version number S3;
• a communication interface;
• and
• a processing unit for:
• determining that a pre-defined event has occurred;
• sending to a server via the communication interface a join message, the join message comprising the server version number S3;
• receiving from the server via the communication interface a server synchronization message, the server synchronization message comprising new server networking data and a new server version number S4 greater than S3;
• updating the server topology table by adding one or more new entry to the server topology table, the one or more new entry comprising the new server networking data;
• and
• updating the server version number from the currently stored server version number S3 to the new server version number S4.

A method for performing resynchronization of networking information with a server, the method comprising:

• storing in a memory of a computing device a local topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising local networking data and a unique local version number, the local version numbers increasing from a first value corresponding to a first entry in the local topology table to a last value corresponding to a last entry in the local topology table;
• storing in the memory a server topology table comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising server networking data;
• storing in the memory a server version number S3;
• determining by a processing unit of the computing device that a pre-defined event has occurred;
• sending by the processing unit to a server via a communication interface of the computing device a join message, the join message comprising the server version number S3;
• receiving by the processing unit from the server via the communication interface a server synchronization message, the server synchronization message comprising new server networking data and a new server version number S4 greater than S3;
• updating by the processing unit the server topology table by adding one or more new entry to the server topology table, the one or more new entry comprising the new server networking data;
• and
• updating by the processing unit the server version number from the currently stored server version number S3 to the new server version number S4.