Methods and apparatus for requesting link state information

A method for a network node in a network to request link state information from one or more neighboring nodes, the neighboring nodes coupled with the network node, the method comprising:

• maintaining information identifying one or more neighboring nodes in persist storage of the network node;
• restarting the routing control protocol of the network node, wherein restarting the routing control protocol clears a link state database;
• transmitting heartbeat messages from the network node to one or more neighboring nodes, the heartbeat messages containing information from persistent storage identifying the one or more neighboring node to indicate that the network node is alive;
• transmitting a first link state information request message from the network node to a first neighboring node, the first link state information request message referencing dummy link state information that includes link state information not referenced in a link state database included in the first neighboring node;
• and
• transmitting a second link state information request message from the network node to a second neighboring node, the second link state information request message referencing dummy link state information.

A network node connected to one or more neighboring nodes in a network, the network node comprising:

• memory;
• one or more processors coupled to memory, the one or more processors configured to transmit a first message from the network node to a first neighboring node, the first message referencing dummy link state information that includes link state information not referenced in a link state database included in the first neighboring node, and receive a second message from the first neighboring node, the second message referencing dummy link state information, the second message corresponding to an acknowledgement of receipt of the first message by the first neighboring node, the one or more processors further configured to receive one or more link state packets from the first neighboring node, the one or more link state packets corresponding to link state information in the network;
• and
• an interface coupled with the one or more processors for transmitting and receiving the first and second messages and the link state packets.

A network node comprising an operating system which is operable to acquire link state information from a neighboring network node, the network node comprising:

• persistant storage for maintaining information associated with one or more neighboring nodes;
• memory coupled with persistant storage;
• and
• one or more processors coupled with memory, the one or more processors configured to transmit heartbeat messages from the network node to one or more neighboring nodes, the heartbeat messages containing information from persistent storage identifying the one ore more neighboring node to indicate that the network node is alive, a first link state information request message from the network node to a fit neighboring node, the first link state information request message referencing dummy link state information that includes link state information not referenced in a link state database included in the first neighboring node, and a second link state information request message from the network node to a second neighboring node, the second link state information request message referencing dummy link state packet.

An apparatus operable to acquire link state information from one or more neighboring nodes, the apparatus comprising:

• means for transmitting a first message from the network node to a first neighboring node, the first message referencing dummy link state information that includes link state information not referenced in a link state database included in the first neighboring node;
• means for receiving a second message from the first neighboring node, the second message referencing dummy link state information, the second message corresponding to an acknowledgement of receipt of the first message by the first neighboring node;
• and
• means for receiving one or more link state packets from the first neighboring node, the one or more link state packets corresponding to link state information in the network.