Abstract A multinode, multicast communications network has a distributed control for the creation, administration and operational mode selection operative in each of the nodes of the network. Each node is provided with a Set Manager for controlling either creation of, administration or access to a set of users to whom a multicast is to be directed. The Set Manager maintains a record of the local membership of all users associated with the node in which the Set Manager resides. A given Set Manager for each designated set of users is assigned the task of being the Set Leader to maintain membership information about the entire set of users in the multicast group. One of the Set Managers in the communications network is designated to be the Registrar which maintains a list of all the Set Leaders in the network. The Registrar insures that there is one and only one Set Leader for each set of users, answers inquiries about the membership of the sets and directs inquiries to appropriate Set Leaders if necessary. All of the set creation, administration and control functions can therefore be carried out by any node of the system and provision is made to assume the function at a new node when failure or partition in the network occurs.
A communications network management system including a plurality of interconnected nodes, characterized in that it comprises : communications control means for providing a plurality of selectable controls including communications network user Set Manager control means, Set Leader control means and network Registrar control means; and management mode control means at each said node of said network and communicating with each network user at said node and responsive to the dynamic communications requirements of said users for selecting the mode of operation of said communication control means to exercise said network user Set Manager control means, said Set Leader control means and said network Registrar control means so that said network has active at any time only one said Registrar control means, one Set Manager control means per node in said network and one said Set Leader control means per set of users.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
54 words
The communications network management system according to claim 1, wherein: said user Set Manager control means further comprises means for creating a set identification when the first said user requests joining a set for which no other set members are known and for destroying said set identification when the last said user resigns therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The communications network management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: said Set Leader means further comprises means for creating and maintaining a current list of all users that are members of said set.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The communications network management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: said network Registrar means further comprises means for creating and maintaining a master list of all current user sets and their members included in said network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The communications network management system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein: said user Set Manager control means further comprises means for receiving messages destined for an identified set of users and for querying said Set Leader for said members of said set for the identity of said set members for delivery of said message there to.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A communications network having a plurality of interconnected nodes characterized in that it includes the communication network management system according to any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
A communications network management method, in a network having a plurality of interconnected nodes, characterized in that it comprises the steps of determining a network Registrar by querying a network database to determine if a Registrar already exists and becoming Registrar if no other node identified as Registrar has a higher priority claim thereto; and determining for each identified set of users a Set Leader by sending to said Registrar a message identifying the sending node as claimant of set leader ship for said identified set and of responding from said Registrar with the node identification of the Set Leader if one already exists or with a response designating said requesting node as the Set Leader if no other Set Leader already exists.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the step at each node of: monitoring connectivity from each node to the Set Leader's of any user sets for which said node has attached users and establishing new network Registrar and Set Leader identities whenever a failure in connectivity is detected.
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