System, security and network management using self-organizing communication orbits in distributed networks

摘要

In one aspect, machines in a managed network implements a set of rules that cause individual machines to directly interact with only a small number of machines in the network (i.e., a local neighborhood within the network), while the independent local actions of the individual machines collectively cause the individual machines to be self-organized into one or more communication orbits without any global control or coordination by a server or an administrator. The communication orbits are used for supporting network, security and system management communications in the managed network.

主权项

1. A method of managing a network comprising a non-static collection of machines, comprising:
at a first client node coupled to the network: proactively constructing and maintaining a respective local segment of a linear communication orbit in the network, wherein the respective local segment includes the first client node and four communication channels each originating from or terminating at the first client node, including: (1) a respective receiving channel for receiving information from a preceding neighbor node of the first client node, (2) a respective reporting channel for sending information from the first client node to the preceding neighbor node, (3) a respective propagation channel for sending information to a succeeding neighbor node of the first client node, and (4) a respective collection channel for receiving information from the succeeding neighbor node of the first client node, and wherein the proactive constructing and maintaining comprises: obtaining contact information of one or more potential neighbor nodes for the first client node; proactively establishing the respective propagation channel from the first client node to a downstream neighbor upon detecting that said respective propagation channel to the downstream neighbor does not already exist, the downstream neighbor comprising a live succeeding node among the one or more potential neighbor nodes; and when the one or more potential neighbor nodes include at least one preceding node, proactively establishing the respective reporting channel from the first client node to an upstream neighbor upon detecting that said respective reporting channel to the upstream neighbor does not already exist, the upstream neighbor comprising a live preceding node among the one or more potential neighbor nodes, wherein: the downstream neighbor also performs said method with the first client node as its respective upstream neighbor and thereby proactively establishes a respective reporting channel from the downstream neighbor to the first client node, the respective reporting channel from the downstream neighbor to the first client node comprising the respective collection channel of the first client node, and the upstream neighbor also performs said method with the first client node as its respective downstream neighbor and thereby proactively establishes a respective propagation channel from the upstream neighbor to the first client node, the respective propagation channel from the upstream neighbor to the first client node comprising the respective receiving channel of the first client node.