Patent ID: 9479484
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. An automated key transition method executed by a node in a network, the network including a set of nodes that are directly and indirectly interconnected, reachable and utilizing a current key identifier, a key identifier specifies an authentication protocol and an authentication key for use in the authentication of intermediate-system to intermediate-system (IS-IS) protocol data units within an IS-IS network, area or domain, the method including a set of steps comprising: receiving a message at the node, the message having a most recent key field to hold a most recent key identifier, the message indicating to replace the current key identifier with the most recent key identifier; advertising receipt of the most recent key to all reachable nodes of the set of nodes; verifying, by the node, whether all reachable nodes in the set of nodes have advertised the most recent key identifier; continuing authentication using the current key identifier until all reachable nodes in the set of nodes have been verified to advertise the most recent key identifier; and switching authentication at the node to use the most recent key identifier upon verification that all reachable nodes in the set of nodes have advertised the most recent key identifier.