Patent ID: 9219655
Filing Date: 2015-12-22
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for discovering network topologies, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising: receiving, at each of a plurality of host systems within a network, at least one switch-protocol message that comprises: gathering, from the plurality of host systems, the switch-protocol messages received at the plurality of host systems; using the switch-protocol messages to identify a set of switches within the network; correlating the switch-protocol messages to determine how the set of switches are connected, wherein correlating the switch-protocol messages to determine how the set of switches are connected comprises identifying a set of intermediate switches between the switch and the root switch based at least in part on the root path cost by: mapping a topology of the network based at least in part on how the set of switches are connected.