DYNAMIC NETWORK AWARENESS

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a network are disclosed. One method can comprise determining presence of a first network device associated with a network. If the first network device is not present, a second network device can be configured to assume authority of the network. If the first network device is present, the second network device can be configured to join the network. Other aspects relate to providing services in an environment having multiple service providers.

Description

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A method comprising: detecting, by an authoritative network device of a network, an attempt by a particular device to utilize an Internet protocol (IP) configuration of the authoritative network device;in response to the detecting: creating, by the authoritative network device, a conflict to prevent the particular device from utilizing an IP configuration of the authoritative network device, wherein creating the conflict comprises causing an IP configuration of a first interface associated with the network to be associated with a same IP address as the particular device;reconfiguring one or more IP parameters associated with a second interface of the authoritative network device; andreceiving or transmitting data over the network using the second interface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein: the one or more IP parameters associated with the second interface of the authoritative network device do not conflict with the IP configuration of the first interface; andthe IP configuration of the first interface is maintained while reconfiguring the one or more IP parameters associated with the second interface and while receiving or transmitting the data over the network using the second interface.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the authoritative network device is a first authoritative network device and is initially a network device that is not an authoritative network device, the method further comprising: determining, by processing circuitry, whether a second authoritative network device is present on the network; andin response to the determining, by the processing circuitry, that the second authoritative network device is not present on the network, configuring the network device to assume authority of the network as the first authoritative network device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determining that the second authoritative network device is not present on the network further comprises: transmitting, by the processing circuitry, a request for an IP address associated with a network protocol associated with the second authoritative network device;determining, by the processing circuitry, that a response to the request is not received; andin response to determining that the request is not received, determining, by the processing circuitry, that the second authoritative network device is not present.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the network protocol is IPv6 or IPv4, and wherein the first authoritative network device supports Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the detecting the attempt by the particular device further comprises: receiving, by the authoritative network device from the particular device, a discovery message associated with the same IP configuration as the authoritative network device.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the transmitting data over the network using the second interface comprises providing a service to one or more devices within the network via the second interface.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the service comprises one or more of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) service, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) routing and security service, an IPv6 neighbor discovery service, an IPv6 router discovery service, or an IPv6 server and client service.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the providing the service further comprises: broadcasting first information via the authoritative network device, the first information relating to the service, wherein the authoritative network device is associated with a first service provider, and wherein the first information comprises a request for the service; and broadcasting, by the authoritative network device, based on the first information, second information via one of the one or more devices within the network, wherein the second information facilitates provision of the service.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein creating, by the authoritative network device, the conflict further comprises: determining that the particular device is not authorized to deliver services over the network; anddisabling the particular device from providing services over the network.

31. A system comprising: input/output circuitry; andprocessing circuitry of an authoritative network device of a network configured to: detect an attempt by a particular device to utilize an Internet protocol (IP) configuration of the authoritative network device;in response to the detecting: create a conflict to prevent the particular device from utilizing an IP configuration of the authoritative network device, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to create the conflict by causing an IP configuration of a first interface associated with the network to be associated with a same IP address as the particular device;reconfigure one or more IP parameters associated with a second interface of the authoritative network device, the second interface being included in the input/output circuitry; andreceive or transmit data over the network using the second interface.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein: the one or more IP parameters associated with the second interface of the authoritative network device do not conflict with the IP configuration of the first interface; andwherein the processing circuitry of the authoritative network device is further configured to maintain the IP configuration of the first interface while reconfiguring the one or more IP parameters associated with the second interface and while receiving or transmitting the data over the network using the second interface.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the authoritative network device is a first authoritative network device and is initially a network device that is not an authoritative network device, and wherein the processing circuitry of the authoritative network device is configured to: determine whether a second authoritative network device is present on the network; andwherein the processing circuitry, in response to the determining that the second authoritative network device is not present on the network, is further configured to configure the network device to assume authority of the network as the first authoritative network device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the processing circuitry of the authoritative network device, when determining that the second authoritative network device is not present on the network, is further configured to: transmit a request for an IP address associated with a network protocol associated with the second authoritative network device;determine that a response to the request is not received; andin response to determining that the request is not received, determine that the second authoritative network device is not present.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the network protocol is IPv6 or IPv4, and wherein the first authoritative network device supports Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry, when detecting the attempt by the particular device, is further configured to: receive, from the particular device, a discovery message associated with the same IP configuration as the authoritative network device.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry, when transmitting data over the network using the second interface, is further configured to provide a service to one or more devices within the network via the second interface.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the service comprises one or more of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol version 6 (DHCPv6) service, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) routing and security service, an IPv6 neighbor discovery service, an IPv6 router discovery service, or an IPv6 server and client service.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the processing circuitry, when providing the service, is further configured to: broadcast first information via the authoritative network device, the first information relating to the service, wherein the authoritative network device is associated with a first service provider, and wherein the first information comprises a request for the service; and broadcast, by the authoritative network device, based on the first information, second information via one of the one or more devices within the network, wherein the second information facilitates provision of the service.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to create the conflict by: determining that the particular device is not authorized to deliver services over the network; anddisabling the particular device from providing services over the network.