Patent ID: 7292541
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for discovery of network topology in networks having network routers with unnumbered interfaces connecting to next-hop routers having an assigned unknown destination network number, the method comprising: obtaining a configuration of every routers in a network; for a particular router of the every router in the network identifying an unnumbered interface; for the unnumbered interface of the particular router, identifying all connected routers reachable through the unnumbered interface including the next-hop routers and routers connected beyond the next-hop routers and adding said all connected routers to a connected router list for the unnumbered interface, wherein at least one of the next-hop routers and one of the routers connected beyond the next-hop routers has the assigned unknown destination network number; for the all connected routers in the connected router list, determining which of the all connected routers is an immediate neighbor to the particular router having the unnumbered interface; determining a connected interface of the immediate neighbor which connects to the unnumbered interface of the particular router; identifying an unnumbered link between the unnumbered interface and the connected interface; and repeating the identifying an unnumbered interface and identifying all connected routers for each of the every router in the network.