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US 8,078,679 B2Granted
Method and system for automating collateral configuration in a network
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsPreetham Kajekar, Krishna Sathyanarayana
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment of the invention, a method for automating collateral configuration in a network is provided. A service is configured on a network device (termed as service providing device). The service providing device sends a Collateral Configuration Request Protocol (CCRP) message to other network devices (termed as service accessing devices). The service accessing devices process the CCRP message for their automatic collateral configuration in order to access the configured service on the service providing device.
Claims24
A method comprising:
- configuring, on a service providing device, a service that is to be provided in a network;
- generating, using the service providing device and based on configuring the service, a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including:
- information for facilitating an auto-configuration of the network devices accepting the CCRP message,
- instructions for configuring the network devices such that the network devices are configured to access the service from the service providing device, and reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- and
- transmitting, using the service providing device, the CCRP message to the network such that the CCRP message is accepted by at least one network device associated with the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message from a service providing device, wherein the service providing device is configured to generate and send the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including instructions for collateral configuration and reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- and
- processing the received CCRP message to enable an automatic collateral configuration, wherein information in the CCRP message is processed by a service accessing device, the service accessing device being a network device of the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message, the information causing the service accessing device to configure itself such that the service accessing device is able to access a service at the service providing device.
An apparatus comprising:
- a processor coupled to a plurality of network devices via a network;
- and
- a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for:
- configuring a service on a service providing device, wherein the configuring is performed by the service providing device, the service being configured to be provided in a network;
- and
- transmitting a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message to at least one network device in response to the configured service, wherein the CCRP message is configured to enable an automatic collateral configuration, wherein the service providing device is configured to generate and send the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is configured to be accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including instructions for configuring the network devices and reasoning information for transmitting the instructions,
- wherein the CCRP message is configured to cause the at least one network device to configure itself based on the instructions included in the CCRP message such that the network device is able to access the configured service at the service providing device, and wherein the automatic collateral configuration occurs without requiring an administrator to manually perform the automatic collateral configuration.
4 more elements
A system comprising:
- a processor coupled to at least one service providing device in a network, where a service providing device comprises a network device;
- and
- a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for:
- receiving a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message in response to configuring a service at the service providing device, wherein the service providing device is configured to generate and send the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is configured to enable an automatic collateral configuration, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message is configured to be accepted by network devices of the type indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including instructions for configuring the network devices and reasoning information for sending the instructions, wherein the CCRP message is configured to cause the network device to configure itself based on the instructions included in the CCRP message such that the network device is enabled to access the service at the service providing device, and wherein the automatic collateral configuration occurs without a requirement for an administrator to manually perform the automatic collateral configuration;
- and
- processing the CCRP message to allow at least one service accessing apparatus to access the service.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- receiving, using a service accessing device, a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message, the service accessing device being a network device, wherein the CCRP message is generated by a service providing device based on configuring a service, the CCRP message including a destination field indicating a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network by the service providing device, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including:
- information for an auto-configuration of the network devices accepting the CCRP message,
- instructions for configuring the network devices such that the network devices are configured to access the service at the service providing device, and
- reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- determining, using the service accessing device, whether a type of the service accessing device matches the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message;
- based on determining that the type of the service accessing device matches the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message, accepting the CCRP message;
- classifying, using the service accessing device, the CCRP message, wherein the CCRP message is classified to determine a reaction of the service accessing device to the CCRP message;
- and
- configuring the service accessing device, wherein the service accessing device is configured based on the instructions contained in the CCRP message, such that the service accessing device is enabled to access the configured service at the service providing device.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- configuring, on a service providing device, a service that is to be provided in a network;
- generating, using the service providing device and based on configuring the service, a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including:
- information for facilitating an auto-configuration of the network devices accepting the CCRP message,
- instructions for configuring the network devices such that the network devices are configured to access the service from the service providing device, and
- reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- and
- sending, using the service providing device, the CCRP message to the network such that the CCRP message is received by at least one network device associated with the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- configuring, on a service providing device, a service that is to be provided in a network;
- generating, using the service providing device and based on configuring the service, a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including:
- information for facilitating an auto-configuration of the network devices accepting the CCRP message,
- instructions for configuring the network devices such that the network devices are configured to access the service from the service providing device, and
- information related to the instructions that are distinct from the instructions,
- wherein the information comprises reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- and
- sending, using the service providing device, the CCRP message to the network such that the CCRP message is accepted by at least one network device associated with the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- configuring, on a service providing device, a service that is to be provided in a network;
- generating, using the service providing device and based on configuring the service, a collateral configuration request protocol (CCRP) message, wherein the CCRP message includes a destination field that indicates a type of network device that the CCRP message is intended for such that the CCRP message, upon being transmitted in the network, is accepted by network devices associated with the type of network device indicated by the destination field, the CCRP message further including:
- information for facilitating an auto-configuration of the network devices accepting the CCRP message,
- instructions for configuring the network devices such that the network devices are configured to access the service from the service providing device, and
- information related to the instructions that are distinct from the instructions, wherein the information comprises reasoning information for sending the instructions;
- and
- transmitting, using the service providing device, the CCRP message to the network such that the CCRP message is accepted by at least one network device associated with the type indicated by the destination field in the CCRP message.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.