Patent ID: 8995667
Filing Date: 2015-03-31
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. An automated key transition method executed by a node in a network, the network including a set of nodes that are interconnected and utilizing a current key identifier provided by a group key management server or provisioned manually, a key identifier specifies an authentication protocol and an authentication key for use in the authentication of intermediate-system to intermediate-system (IS-IS) protocol data units within an IS-IS network, area or domain, the method comprising: receiving a message from the group key management server, the group key management server being separate from the set of nodes, the message having a most recent key field, the most recent key field to hold a most recent key identifier, the message indicating to replace the current key identifier with the most recent key identifier, and notifying an IS-IS module of a change of the current key identifier to the most recent key identifier; advertising receipt of the most recent key identifier from the group key management server to all reachable nodes of the set of nodes; verifying whether all reachable nodes of the set of nodes have advertised receipt of the most recent key identifier from the group key management server; continuing authentication using the current key identifier until all reachable nodes of the set of nodes have been verified to advertise the most recent key identifier; and switching authentication to use the most recent key identifier upon verification that all reachable nodes of the set of nodes have advertised the most recent key identifier.