Method for building a sub-network in a distributed voice messaging system

A method for building a sub-network of nodes within a communications network architecture, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a network of nodes, wherein each node in said network of nodes includes node configuration information of at least a group name, a node number, a LAN-ID and a LAN adapter card physical address
• designating any one of the nodes in said sub-network to become a master node, wherein said master is adapted to interface with a user;
• identifying all nodes within said network to be included in said sub-network;
• broadcasting from said master node a request for node configuration information from all nodes in said network identified to be in said sub-network;
• receiving at said master node said node configuration information from said identified nodes and altering said configuration information of said nodes to eliminate any duplicate node numbers;
• generating a new network map within said master node;
• requesting a lock condition in all nodes within said sub-network against software applications affecting the building of said sub-network;
• waiting a predetermined amount of time for a reply from each said node in said sub-network, wherein a negative reply received from any node cancels the lock condition at each node and terminates the build process;
• sending said new sub-network map to all nodes in said sub-network wherein each node updates its network configuration, if a positive acknowledgement is received from all nodes in said sub-network;
• executing an unlock condition at all nodes in said sub-network after receipt of said new sub-network map and replying to said master node that said build process was successful;
• synchronizing with one another all nodes in said new sub-network.

In a communications network architecture having multiple software layers of specific functionality and including at least a configuration utility layer, a node supervisor layer and a communication handler layer, a method for building a subnetwork of nodes within said communications network architecture, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a network of nodes, wherein each node in said network includes node configuration information, said node configuration information including at least at least a node number, a group name, a LAN-ID and a LAN adapter card having a unique physical address;
• designating any one of the nodes in said sub-network to become a master node, wherein said master is adapted to interface with a user;
• identifying via said user in said configuration layer all nodes within said network to be included in said sub-network;
• broadcasting from said master node in said communication handler layer a request for node configuration information from all nodes in said network having an identical group name as those nodes identified by said user;
• receiving at said master node said node configuration information from said identified nodes and altering said configuration information of said nodes to eliminate any duplicate node numbers;
• generating a new network map within said node supervisor layer of said master node;
• requesting a lock condition in said node supervisor layer of all nodes within said sub-network against software applications affecting the building of said sub-network;
• waiting a predetermined amount of time for a reply from each said node in said sub-network, wherein a negative reply received from any node cancels the lock condition at each node and terminates the build process;
• sending said new sub-network map on said node supervisor layer to all nodes in said sub-network wherein each node updates its network configuration, if a positive acknowledgement is received from all nodes in said sub-network;
• executing an unlock condition at all nodes through said node supervisor layer in said sub-network after receipt of said new sub-network map and replying to said master node that said build process was successful;
• synchronizing with one another all nodes in said new sub-network on said communication handler layer.