Patent ID: 7996510
Filing Date: 2011-08-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for virtual clustering and network control in a hierarchical network having a plurality of computing nodes, comprising: autonomously determining, by a node, whether the node should be promoted, demoted or stay at a same level in the network hierarchy, the promotion and demotion of the node is to a current cluster level from a previous cluster level, wherein a promoted node rises to a cluster level above the previous cluster level and becomes part of a virtual cluster at the level above, while remaining in a virtual cluster of the previous level, and wherein a demoted node falls to a cluster level below the previous cluster level and no longer remains in the virtual cluster at the higher level; providing management and control service functions to cluster k peer nodes when the node has been promoted to a cluster-head of the cluster k; and providing management and control service functions to other nodes in cluster levels below the current cluster level of the node from which the node has been promoted, wherein self-promotion and demotion are based on the node's behavior relating to (a) reachability, (b) stability and (c) performance efficiency, and wherein information used to enable self-promotion and demotion of the node from the previous cluster is based on collected states, and the information is distributed among nodes in the hierarchical network residing with nodes having a relationship to the previous cluster and wherein the information is not guaranteed to be held by any one node in the hierarchical network, and wherein membership of the node in a cluster is irrelevant to a physical network model except when related to the node's behavior regarding reachability, stability and performance efficiency, and wherein there is no prohibition or rule against a cluster having only one member or having as many clusters as there are nodes in the network, and wherein cluster membership is based on self-promotion and demotion.