Automatic assignment of internet protocol addresses in a ring network

摘要

In one embodiment, a negotiation is performed between each adjacent pair of a plurality of packet switching devices in a ring network to determine an Internet Protocol (IP) subnet to be used for communicating between said packet switching devices of said adjacent pair. Packets are communicated by said packet switching devices of said adjacent pair using a different IP address of said determined IP subnet. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of packet switching devices is initially assigned an IP subnet to use on one of its two interfaces participating in the ring network; and wherein said negotiation determines which of said two interfaces will use said initially assigned IP subnet.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
performing operations in a ring network of a plurality of packet switching devices forming a closed-ring topology ring network, with the plurality of packet switching devices including at least three packet switching devices, with each of the plurality of packet switching devices having two different adjacent packet switching devices in the ring network, with each of the plurality of packet switching devices including a first ring network interface used to communicate with a first one of said two different adjacent packet switching devices and includes a second ring network interface for communicating with the non-first one of said two different adjacent packet switching devices, with each particular packet switching device of the plurality of packet switching devices assigned a particular Internet Protocol (IP) subnet to be used in communicating with one of said two different adjacent packet switching devices of said particular packet switching device; and wherein said operations include:
negotiating, including communicating between each adjacent pair of the plurality of packet switching devices in the ring network, to determine the use of said assigned IP subnets between adjacent pairs of packet switching devices of the plurality of packet switching devices in the ring network such that each of said assigned IP subnets is used in communicating between packet switching devices of one of said adjacent pairs of packet switching devices, which includes for each adjacent pair of the plurality of packet switching devices in the ring network: assigning a first IP address of the corresponding said assigned IP subnet to the first ring network interface of a first packet switching device of said adjacent pair and assigning a second IP address of the corresponding said assigned IP subnet to the second ring network interface of a second packet switching device of said adjacent pair; andcommunicating packets by each of the plurality of packet switching devices with each of its said two different adjacent packet switching devices respectively using IP addresses of said determined IP subnets said assigned to the first and second interfaces of each of the plurality of packet switching devices.