Method for dissemination of non-routing information using the IS-IS protocol

A machine-implemented method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving, at a node of a network, an Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) packet that conforms to the IS-IS protocol,
• wherein said IS-IS packet is a first type of IS-IS packet that exclusively carries non-routing information, and wherein said IS-IS packet is not a second type of IS-IS packet that is operable to carry routing information;
• determining that the IS-IS packet is of the first type without processing the IS-IS packet to determine the non-routing information carried therein;
• and
• sending the IS-IS packet to a processing component that is configured to process IS-IS packets of said first type,
• wherein the IS-IS packet comprises a particular Type Length Value (TLV) or sub-TLV, and wherein the particular TLV or sub-TLV indicates that the IS-IS packet is of the first type.

A machine-readable volatile or non-volatile storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• generating, at a first node of a network, an Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) packet that conforms to the IS-IS protocol,
• wherein said IS-IS packet is a first type of IS-IS packet that exclusively carries non-routing information, and wherein said IS-IS packet is not a second type of IS-IS packet that is operable to carry routing information;
• and
• transmitting the IS-IS packet to a second node of the network,
• wherein the IS-IS packet comprises a particular (Type Length Value (TLV) or sub-TLV, and wherein the particular TLV or sub-TLV indicates that the IS-IS packet is of the first type.

A machine-readable volatile or non-volatile storage medium storing one or more sequences of instructions, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving, at a node of a network, an Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) packet that conforms to the IS-IS protocol,
• wherein said IS-IS packet is a first type of IS-IS packet that exclusively carries non-routing information, and wherein said IS-IS packet is not a second type of IS-IS packet that is operable to carry routing information;
• determining that the IS-IS packet is of the first type without processing the IS-IS packet to determine the non-routing information carried therein;
• and
• sending the IS-IS packet to a processing component, wherein the processing component is configured to process IS-IS packets of said first type,
• wherein the IS-IS packet comprises a particular Type Length Value (TLV) or sub-TLV, and wherein the particular TLV or sub-TLV indicates that the IS-IS packet is of the first type.