Methods for auto-configuring a router on an IP subnet

1. A method of configuring a first network device for connection to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the method comprising:

passively collecting, via a configuration determination module of the first network device, router control traffic on the communications network subnet, wherein the router control traffic does not comprise an address of the first network device;

determining, with the configuration determination module of the first network device, configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet based on the router control traffic;

presenting the determined configuration attributes to an operator interface for consideration by a user;

receiving user input at the operator interface indicating user acceptance of the determined attributes, and

configuring the first network device, with an autoconfiguration module of the first network device, according to the configuration attributes so that the first network device is connected to the subnet.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the presented configuration attributes are accompanied by explanations to the user as to why the configuration attributes have been presented.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise an IP subnet mask.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) forwarding data and DHCP server address.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration attributes comprises virtual local area network (VLAN) information including tag identifications, types, protocols, addresses, and port-to-VLAN mappings.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Spanning Tree Group information, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server addresses, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) timer information, Routing Information Protocol (RIP) broadcast timer information, and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) information.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining configuration attributes further comprises communicating with a network centralized configuration server.

8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the network centralized configuration server uses Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to communicate.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein communicating with a network centralized configuration server comprises:

sending to the centralized configuration server a message containing the addresses of network neighbors on the subnet;

searching in a configuration database of the centralized configuration server for configuration attributes relevant to the first network device; and

forwarding the configuration attributes from the configuration database to the first network device.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining configuration attributes further comprises communicating with the second network device.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein communicating with the second network device uses a protocol based on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

12. A method according to claim 1 , wherein determining configuration attributes comprises analyzing routing protocol control packets detected by the first network device.

13. A data router connected to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the data router comprising:

a configuration determination module that determines configuration attributes for connecting the autoconfiguring data router to the subnet based on router control traffic by passively collecting the router control traffic on the communications network subnet, wherein the router control traffic does not comprise an address of the data router;

an operator interface for presenting the determined configuration attributes for consideration by a user, and for receiving user input indicating user acceptance of the determined attributes, and

an autoconfiguration module that configures the data router according to the configuration attributes so that the data router is connected to the subnet.

14. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the presented configuration attributes are accompanied by explanations to the user as to why the configuration attributes have been presented.

15. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise an IP subnet mask.

16. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) forwarding data and DHCP server address.

17. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration attributes comprises virtual local area network (VLAN) information including tag identifications, types, protocols, addresses, and port-to-VLAN mappings.

18. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration attributes comprise at least one of Spanning Tree Group information, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) server addresses, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) timer information, Routing Information Protocol (RIP) broadcast timer information, and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) information.

19. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration determination module communicates with a network centralized configuration server.

20. A data router according to claim 19 , wherein the network centralized configuration server uses Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to communicate.

21. A data router according to claim 20 , wherein the configuration determination module:

sends to the centralized configuration server a message containing the addresses of network neighbors on the subnet; and

receives, from a configuration database of the centralized configuration server, configuration attributes relevant to the data router.

22. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration determination module communicates with the second network device to receive configuration attributes.

23. A data router according to claim 22 , wherein the second network device uses a protocol based on Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) or User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

24. A data router according to claim 13 , wherein the configuration determination module analyzes routing protocol control packets detected by the data router.

25. A computer program product for configuring a first network device for connection to a communications network subnet having a second network device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code thereon, the computer-readable program code comprising:

program code for passively collecting, via a configuration determination module of the first network device, router control traffic on the communications network subnet, wherein the router control traffic does not comprise an address of the first network device;

program code for determining, with the configuration determination module of the first network device, configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet based on the router control traffic;

program code for presenting the determined configuration attributes to an operator interface for consideration by a user;

program code for receiving user input at the operator interface indicating operator acceptance of the determined attributes, and

program code for configuring the first network device, with an autoconfiguration module of the first network device, according to the configuration attributes so that the first network device is connected to the subnet.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, with the configuration determination module of the first network device, the configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet comprises:

passively collecting, with the configuration determination module of the first network device, router control traffic on the communications network subnet, wherein the router control traffic does not comprise an address of the first network device; and

determining the configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet based on the router control traffic.

27. A method of configuring a first network device for connection to a communications network subnet, the method comprising:

passively collecting, via a configuration determination module of the first network device, router control traffic on the communications network subnet, wherein the router control traffic does not comprise an address of the first network device;

determining configuration attributes for connecting the first network device to the subnet based on the router control traffic; and

configuring the first network device, via an autoconfiguration module of the first network device, according to the configuration attributes so that the first network device is operable to route packets over the communications network subnet.