Patent ID: 8427969
Filing Date: 2013-04-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. In an environment including local area network (LAN) cable-connected hosts, a method for indirectly calculating logical distance between passive hosts, the method comprising: in an environment of LAN cable-connected hosts, at least three controller hosts sending inquiries to target hosts in the environment including at least two passive (non-controller) hosts; recording a time interval between each inquiry and an associated response; converting the recorded time intervals into logical distance measurements between the controller host and each target host, where logical distance is a measurement of propagation delay's through LAN cabling and switching/routing speeds of intervening hosts; and using the logical distance measurements, calculating a logical distance between the two passive hosts; wherein calculating the logical distance between the two passive hosts includes: constructing a logical triangle between a first controller host (H using trigonometric relationships, solving for the unknown value of the third logical distance side, wherein using trigonometric relationships to solve for the unknown value of the third logical distance side includes: if S where α1 is the angle formed by logical distance sides H where α2 is the angle formed by logical distance sides H where α3 is the angle formed by logical distance sides H if S knowing α1, H