Network location signature for disambiguating multicast messages in dual-IP stack and/or multi-homed network environments

A tangible computer readable medium having a software program stored thereon for executing on a dual stack and/or multi-homed computing device connected on a data network link to cause the device to perform a method comprising:

• generating a signature value associated with a current network configuration of the networked computing device;
• for plural addresses of the device, producing messages for announcing respective of the addresses according to a message structure having a signature field for containing the signature value;
• and
• multicasting the messages announcing the respective addresses including the signature value in the signature field onto the at least one data network link.

A dual-stack and/or multi-homed device for operating in a network as a controlled device according to a device connectivity architecture potentially containing other dual-stack and/or multi-homed devices as control points, the device comprising:

• at least one network interface for communicating on at least one network link;
• at least one networking protocol stack for communicating on the at least one network interface according to a respective networking protocol;
• a memory containing device connectivity programming;
• and
• a processor for executing the device connectivity programming,
• wherein executing the device connectivity programming causes the device to generate a signature value representing a network configuration of the device, and to multicast plural announcements of different addresses of the device onto the at least one network link using the at least one networking protocol stack and at least one network interface, where the multicast announcements have a signature field containing the signature value.

A dual-stack and/or multi-homed device for operating in a network as a control point according to a device connectivity architecture potentially containing other dual-stack and/or multi-homed devices as controlled devices, the device comprising:

• at least one network interface for communicating on at least one network link;
• at least one networking protocol stack for communicating on the at least one network interface according to a respective networking protocol;
• a memory containing device connectivity programming;
• and
• a processor for executing the device connectivity programming,
• wherein executing the device connectivity programming causes the device to process announcements from controlled devices received over the at least one network link using the at least one networking protocol stack and at least one network interface, which announcements contain an address for the controlled device and a signature field with a network location signature value;
• to store cache entries containing the addresses from the announcements;
• and upon processing a subsequent announcement received from a same controlled device as a previous announcement, to replace the cache entry stored for the same controlled device with a cache entry containing the address from the subsequent announcement and otherwise retaining the cache entry for the same controlled device containing the address from the previous announcement.