Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Jeff Baird Erwin

Stephen Kelly

John Ian Ferrell

Jason Earl Ginchereau

Infrastructure services such as addressing, directory services, performance monitoring, and diagnostic capabilities are shared among nodes of an ad-hoc mesh network without a designated network manager. A first mesh node creates parameters corresponding to the services to be provided. As each new mesh node joins the network, parameters are update, synchronized among the mesh nodes, and stored in a virtual database shared by the mesh nodes. For some of the services such as performance monitoring, a designated representative may be elected by a group of mesh nodes once a predetermined number of connected mesh nodes is exceeded. The representative nodes may share performance monitoring information among themselves and act as redundant back-up servers.

System and method for providing infrastructure services without a designated network manager

A system and method of expanding the range of a mesh network by determining whether a route through a local Internet service provider is an optimal path between two nodes. If the route through a local Internet service provider is an optimal path, a routing table is updated to include the optimal path so that mesh nodes on the mesh network have access to the routing table.

System and method for expanding the range of a mesh network

A system and method for dynamic egress routing through a default gateway in a network is disclosed. One aspect of the present invention includes providing a default gateway that manages routes to Internet egress points for a client. The default gateway includes a list of Internet egress points that correspond to the default gateway. A metric is applied to the list to determine the optimal path to an Internet egress point. The default gateway uses the optimal path to manage Internet access routing for the client. Another embodiment includes a system for managing routing to Internet egress points on a network having a default gateway configured to route data packets between the Internet egress points and a client. The default gateway determines the optimal path to the Internet egress points.

System and method for dynamic egress routing through a single default gateway in a mesh network

A system and method for using a hop limited cast for Internet egress point selection. One aspect of the present invention includes a computer-implemented method. The computer-implement method includes casting an Internet egress announcement to a network. The announcement has a range associated therewith. A list is then created with discovered Internet egress points within the range. Another aspect of the present invention includes an egress mesh node with an Internet egress point. The egress mesh node is configured to cast an Internet egress announcement to a range of the network.

System and method for using a hop limited cast for internet egress point selection

A system, method or facility allow a user to analyze a telecommunications network having virtual private network segments, such as frame relay circuits, where standard network analysis tools fail to identify such circuits. The facility receives identifiers or addresses for such circuits and gathers statistical data with respect thereto. Based on such statistical data, the facility matches end points of the circuits with corresponding starting points. Thus, a network designer or manager may use standard and less expensive hardware in networks employing frame relay circuits, and other virtual private network segments, by employing the facility to fully document and verify the overall configuration of the network environment, without prior knowledge of the network's makeup.

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Sammamish, WA, United States of America

Jeff Baird Erwin