Alcatel Canada Inc.

Newbridge Networks Corporation

Roderick P Silton

Richard Chan

Ramana V Gollamudi

Sirish Bajpai

A configuration server is incorporated into a distributed router to support multiple route servers in an internetworking system. The multiple route servers in the system provide load sharing and/or standby functionality. In the system route servers provide routing decisions while edge forwarders are the packet forwarding elements. The configuration server is responsible for mapping edge forwarders to route servers.

Dynamic configuration of edge forwarders to route servers in a distributed router system

The invention relates to distributed computer or server networks and to methods of automatically establishing communication links between individual servers in the network. By taking advantage of the properties of group addresses (anycast addresses) inherent in certain networking technologies, coupled with innovative discovery and hunt protocols the servers in the network all become members of an overlay spanning tree where the tree is comprised of servers as nodes and communication links as edges. Discovery and hunt protocols are implemented to locate peer servers in the network and communication links are set up as required.

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Herndon, VA, United States of America

Roderick P Silton