System, device, and method for address reporting in a distributed communication environment

A method for reporting address information in a distributed communication system having a plurality of distributed address databases, wherein each address database includes a number of locally owned address entries containing locally owned address information and a number of remotely owned address entries containing remotely owned address information, the method comprising:

• retrieving a list of locally owned address information from each of the distributed address databases, comprising,
• determining a reporting module from among the plurality of interconnected modules, the plurality of interconnected modules comprising the reporting module and one or more other interconnected modules,
• retrieving a first list of locally owned address information by the reporting module from the address database maintained by the reporting module,
• retrieving a second list of locally owned address information by the reporting module from each of the other interconnected modules, comprising:
• causing a request message to be sent to each of the other interconnected modules requesting the second list of locally owned address information from each of the other interconnected modules;
• retrieving the second list of locally owned address information by each of the other interconnected modules from its respective address database;
• formatting a response message by each of the other interconnected modules including the second list of locally owned address information;
• and
• sending the response message by each of the other interconnected modules to the reporting module,
• sorting the retrieved address information according to a predetermined sorting scheme, which comprises sorting the address information by the reporting module according to the predetermined sorting scheme;
• and
• reporting the sorted address information, which comprises reporting the sorted address information by the reporting module;
• and wherein
• each address database is maintained by one of a plurality of interconnected modules within the communication system, where each module includes a number of interfaces,
• each locally owned address entry includes a locally owned address and an interface identifier identifying an interface from which the locally owned address is learned, and
• each remotely owned address entry includes a remotely owned address and a module identifier identifying a module from which the remotely owned address is learned.

A module for reporting address information in a communication system including the module and one or more other interconnected modules, the module comprising:

• an address database;
• address maintenance logic operably coupled to maintain a number of locally owned address entries containing locally owned address information and a number of remotely owned address entries containing remotely owned address information in the address database;
• local retrieval logic operably coupled to retrieve a first list of locally owned address information and a predetermined number of locally owned address entries from the address database;
• remote retrieval logic operably coupled to retrieve a second list of locally owned address information from each of the other interconnected modules;
• sorting logic responsive to the local retrieval logic and the remote retrieval logic and operably coupled to sort the retrieved address information according to a predetermined sorting scheme;
• and
• reporting logic operably coupled to report the sorted address information;
• and wherein the address maintenance logic maintains the locally owned address entries in lexicographical order by address, and wherein the local retrieval logic is operably coupled to retrieve the predetermined number of locally owned address entries beginning with a first locally owned address entry that is lexicographically greater than a predetermined starting address.

A program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for reporting address information in a communication system having a plurality of interconnected modules, the computer program comprising:

• address maintenance logic programmed to maintain a number of locally owned address entries containing locally owned address information and a number of remotely owned address entries containing remotely owned address information in an address database;
• local retrieval logic programmed to retrieve a first list of locally owned address information and a predetermined number of locally owned address entries from the address database;
• remote retrieval logic programmed to retrieve at least one second list of locally owned address information from at least one of the interconnected modules;
• sorting logic responsive to the local retrieval logic and the remote retrieval logic and programmed to sort the retrieved address information according to a predetermined sorting scheme;
• and
• reporting logic programmed to report the sorted address information;
• and wherein the address maintenance logic maintains the locally owned address entries in lexicographical order by address, and wherein the local retrieval logic is programmed to retrieve the predetermined number of locally owned address entries beginning with a first locally owned address entry that is lexicographically greater than a predetermined starting address.

A module for reporting address information in a communication system having a plurality of interconnected modules, the module comprising:

• an address database;
• address maintenance logic operably coupled to maintain a number of locally owned address entries containing locally owned address information and a number of remotely owned address entries containing remotely owned address information in the address database;
• receiving logic operably coupled to receive a request message from a reporting module requesting the locally owned address information;
• address retrieval logic responsive to the receiving logic and operably coupled to retrieve the locally owned address information and a predetermined number of locally owned address entries from the address database;
• response formatting logic responsive to the address retrieval logic and operably coupled to format a response message including the locally owned address information;
• and
• transmitting logic responsive to the response formatting logic and operably coupled to send the response message to the reporting module,
• and wherein the request message includes a predetermined starting address, the locally owned address entries are maintained in lexicographical order by address, and the address retrieval logic is operably coupled to retrieve the predetermined number of locally owned address entries beginning with a first locally owned address entry that is lexicographically greater than a predetermined starting address.

A program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein a computer program for reporting address information in a communication system having a plurality of interconnected modules, the computer program comprising:

• address maintenance logic operably coupled to maintain a number of locally owned address entries containing locally owned address information and a number of remotely owned address entries containing remotely owned address information in an address database;
• receiving logic programmed to receive a request message from a reporting module requesting the locally owned address information;
• address retrieval logic responsive to the receiving logic and programmed to retrieve the locally owned address information and a predetermined number of locally owned address entries from the address database;
• response formatting logic responsive to the address retrieval logic and programmed to format a response message including the locally owned address information;
• and
• transmitting logic responsive to the response formatting logic and programmed to send the response message to the reporting module,
• and wherein the request message includes a predetermined starting address, the locally owned address entries are maintained in lexicographical order by address, and the address retrieval logic is programmed to retrieve the predetermined number of locally owned address entries beginning with a first locally owned address entry that is lexicographically greater than a predetermined starting address.