Automatically detecting roles of nodes in layered network topologies

1. A method, comprising:

identifying, by a node in a network with a layered topology, using a local shortest path tree (SPT), one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node;

calculating a position of the node using a difference in length between a longest loop-free path in the local SPT and an additional longest loop-free path in a remote SPT, wherein the difference in length represents a number of layers between the node and the edge of the layered topology; and

configuring operation of the node in the network by:

identifying a role of the node based on the calculated position and a layer in which the node appears in the layered topology;

obtaining a configuration policy for the role at the node; and

configuring the node according to the configuration policy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein using the local SPT to identify the one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node comprises:

identifying the one or more additional nodes from the longest loop-free path in the local SPT.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the difference in length represents a distance of the node from an edge of the layered topology.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the configuration policy for the role at the node comprises:

subscribing the node to a topic associated with the role in a publish-subscribe messaging system; and

receiving the configuration policy in one or more messages assigned to the topic.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the role is at least one of:

a leaf;

a spine; and

a super-spine.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration policy comprises at least one of:

a protocol;

a filter;

an access control list;

an interface configuration;

a quality of service (QoS) policy; and

a routing policy.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting the calculated position of the node.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

identify, by a node in a network with a layered topology, using a local shortest path tree (SPT), one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node;

calculate a position of the node using a difference in length between a longest loop-free path in the local SPT and an additional longest loop-free path in a remote SPT, wherein the difference in length represents a number of layers between the node and the edge of the layered topology; and

configure operation of the node in the network by:

identifying a role of the node based on the outputted position and a layer in which the node appears in the layered topology;

obtaining a configuration policy for the role at the node; and

configuring the node according to the configuration policy.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein using the local SPT to identify the one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node comprises:

identifying the one or more additional nodes from the longest loop-free path in the local SPT.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the configuration policy for the role at the node comprises:

subscribing the node to a topic associated with the role in a publish-subscribe messaging system; and

receiving the configuration policy in one or more messages assigned to the topic.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:

output the calculated position of the node.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the role is at least one of:

a leaf;

a spine; and

a super-spine.

13. A system, comprising:

a network comprising a set of nodes connected by a set of links; and

a node in the set of nodes, wherein the node comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

identify, by a node in a network with a layered topology, using a local shortest path tree (SPT), one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node;

calculate a position of the node using a difference in length between a longest loop-free path in the local SPT and an additional longest loop-free path in a remote SPT, wherein the difference in length represents a number of layers between the node and the edge of the layered topology; and

configure operation of the node in the network by:

identifying a role of the node based on the outputted position and a layer in which the node appears in the layered topology;

obtaining a configuration policy for the role at the node; and

configuring the node according to the configuration policy.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein using the local SPT to identify the one or more additional nodes in the network that are farthest from the node comprises:

identifying the one or more additional nodes from the longest loop-free path in the local SPT.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium of the node further comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

output the calculated position of the node.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein obtaining the configuration policy for the role at the node comprises:

subscribing the node to a topic associated with the role in a publish-subscribe messaging system; and

receiving the configuration policy in one or more messages assigned to the topic.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the role is at least one of:

a leaf;

a spine; and

a super-spine.