Cisco Technology, Inc.

Donald Slice

Donnie Van Savage

Thuan Van Tran

Yi Yang

Alvaro E Retana

James L Ng

A static neighbor configured network device is configured with a static neighbor feature including a static neighbor list of network devices. The static neighbor configured network device is in a network segment that includes a dynamically configured network device. The static neighbor configured network device receives a multicast packet from the dynamically configured network device. It is determined if the dynamically configured network device is included in the static neighbor list of the static neighbor configured network device. The multicast packet is accepted if the dynamically configured network device is found in the neighbor list for the static neighbor configured network device. Also, adjacency for the static neighbor configured network device is not lost with any other currently adjacent network devices when the multicast packet is received.

Techniques to support asymmetrical static/dynamic adjacency in routers

Techniques for sending routing data include sending first routing data in a first multicast packet to a number N of adjacent nodes. It is determined whether different routing data is ready to be sent in a different multicast packet. If so, then a number M of adjacent nodes from which acknowledgment messages have been received, and whether M exceeds a threshold, is determined. If so, then a Conditional-Receive (CR) method is invoked in which a multicast message is sent which identifies each of a number L=N&#x2212;M of laggard adjacent nodes. The laggard adjacent nodes are thus notified to ignore the different multicast packet. If it is determined that M does not exceed the threshold, then additional acknowledgement messages are received while waiting until M does exceed the threshold before the CR method is invoked. The threshold is greater than or equal to 1.

Techniques for distributing routing information using multicasts

A technique efficiently notifies EIGRP neighbors when destroying adjacencies in a computer network. A goodbye notification packet is provided that enables an EIGRP router to inform one or more of its neighbors of its intention to destroy their existing adjacencies. The goodbye notification packet comprises an EIGRP packet header with variable-length fields embodied as an appended goodbye attribute. The appended goodbye attribute is illustratively tagged according to a TLV encoding format that defines a new type (T) field called 'a goodbye' having a predetermined type that distinguishes it from a conventional EIGRP Hello packet. A value (V) field of information conveyed within the goodbye attribute contains a list of neighbor (peer) identifiers (IDs). The peer IDs on this list instruct those neighbor routers to 'go away' so that their adjacencies can be destroyed.

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Cary, NC, United States of America

Donald Slice