Method and apparatus for fast route table update
A method and apparatus is provided for fast route table updates. A route table entry is identified, and a subsequent route table entry is located using the identified route table entry. All subsequent route table entries are identified using the previous route table entry until all route table entries associated with a predetermined characteristic are identified. The identified entries may be purged or transferred from one route table to another. The predetermined characteristic may be that the route table entries where discovered by a common routing protocol. Route table entries associated with a common routing protocol that is inoperative for a predetermined period are purged.
1. A method comprising:
identifying a first route table entry having a predetermined characteristic, the identified route table entry having a link to a next route table entry having the predetermined characteristic;
identifying the next route table entry using the link with the first route table entry;
identifying additional route table entries having the predetermined characteristic by using one or more links with identified route table entries until all route table entries having the predetermined characteristic have been identified, the identified route table entries forming a set; and
transferring the set of route table entries from a first route table associated with a first executing process to a second route table associated with a second executing process.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising purging the identified route table entries.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common predetermined characteristic is a common routing protocol.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
detecting that the common routing protocol is inoperative;
detecting that the common routing protocol becomes operational again within a predetermined period of time;
determining whether the identified route table entries have been rediscovered within a predetermined period of time; and
purging those identified route table entries that are not rediscovered within a predetermined period of time.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
detecting that a routing protocol is inoperative for a predetermined period; and
purging the identified route table entries that are associated with the inoperative routing protocol.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the subsequent route table entry using the previous route table entry comprises using a pointer in the previous route table entry to locate the subsequent route table entry.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the common predetermined characteristic is that the identified route table entries originated from a common peer routing protocol.
8. An article of manufacture comprising:
an electronically accessible medium providing instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to
identify a first route table entry having a predetermined characteristic, the identified route table entry having a link to a next route table entry having the predetermined characteristic;
identify the next route table entry using the link with the first route table entry; and
identify additional route table entries having the predetermined characteristic by using one or more links with identified route table entries until all route table entries having the predetermined characteristic have been identified, the identified route table entries forming a set; and
transferring the set of route table entries from a first route table associated with a first executing process to a second route table associated with a second executing process.
9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to purge the identified route table entries.
10. The article of manufacture of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to transfer the identified route table entries form a first route table to a second route table.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to identify a subsequent route table entry using the previous route table entry wherein the entries are associated with a common routing protocol.
12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to
detect that the common routing protocol is inoperative;
detect that the common routing protocol becomes operational again within a predetermined period of time;
determine whether the identified route table entries have been rediscovered within a predetermined period of time; and
purge those identified route table entries that are not rediscovered within a predetermined period of time.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to
detect that a routing protocol is inoperative for a predetermined period; and
purge the identified route table entries that are associated with the inoperative routing protocol.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to
detect a request to transfer the identified route table entries; and
transfer the identified route table entries.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to identify a subsequent route table entry using the previous route table entry further comprises using a pointer in the previous route table entry to locate the subsequent route table entry.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to identify a subsequent route table entry using the previous route table entry wherein the entries are associated with a common peer routing protocol.
17. A method comprising:
identifying a first entry in a route table, wherein the first entry is associated with a first routing protocol and has a link to a next entry also associated with the first routing protocol, and wherein the route table includes at least one entry associated with a second routing protocol;
identifying the next entry using the link with the first entry; and
identifying additional entries associated with the first routing protocol in the route table by using one or more links with identified entries until all entries associated with the first routing protocol have been identified in the route table, the identified route table entries forming a set; and
transferring the set of route table entries from a first route table associated with a first executing process to a second route table associated with a second executing process.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising purging the identified entries.
19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
detecting that the first routing protocol is inoperative;
detecting that the first routing protocol becomes operational again within a predetermined period of time;
determining whether the identified entries have been rediscovered within a predetermined period of time; and
purging those identified entries that are not rediscovered within a predetermined period of time.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
detecting a request to transfer the identified entries; and
transferring the identified entries.
21. The method of claim 17 , wherein identifying the next entry in the route table using the first entry comprises using a pointer in the first entry to locate the next entry in the route table.