Patent ID: 7698561
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting aliases in a network having a plurality of devices, the method comprising: receiving a request from a device having a message digest, the message digest computed based on values for a set of object identifiers (OIDs) associated with the device, the OIDs being identifiers for describing the devices in a network management system (NMS); receiving a message including the message digest from the device and not the values for the set of OIDs; determining if the received message digest in the message is found in a database of message digests; and determining the device as an alias if the received message digest is found in the database of message digests, the determination of the alias using the message digest without comparing values for the set of OIDs, the alias being when the device has already been registered and the values for the OIDs do not need to be downloaded and registered from the device; and downloading the values for the OIDs if the message digest is not found in the database of message digests.