Patent ID: 8321507

Claim:
A network management device comprising: a processor; a network interface; and control logic associated with the processor and the network interface, the control logic configured to: establish an XML distribution ring including: an originating XML router that provides an XML message for a client to the XML distribution ring; and a plurality of XML routers in communication with the originating XML router, the plurality of XML routers formed in a bi-directional continuous loop such that only ones of the plurality of XML routers directly adjacent to each other are operatively coupled, each of the plurality of XML routers including one of a plurality of XML subscriptions received from each of a plurality of clients including the client located outside of the bi-directional continuous loop, where each of the plurality of XML router makes a routing decision to forward the XML message to ones of the plurality of clients based on the XML subscription, wherein the bi-directional continuous loop allows for the XML message to travel in opposite directions within the continuous loop until the XML message arrives at an XML router having the XML subscription for the client when the XML router has the XML subscription and the bi-directional continuous loop allows for the XML message to uni-directionally travel to the originating XML router when at least one XML router of the plurality of XML routers does not have the XML subscription.