IP address conflict resolution system and method

1. A method for assigning new internet protocol (IP) addresses to new network devices in an existing computer network, comprising:

assigning respective new IP addresses to one or more new network devices by a first computer server based on one or more communications received by the first computer server, wherein the one or more communications comprise advertisement messages that include information about the one or more new network devices, and wherein the step of assigning comprises:

determining an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices, and

assigning respective previously un-assigned IP addresses to the one or more new network devices, and further wherein the step of assigning respective previously un-assigned IP addresses comprises:

determining if there are any conflicts between IP addresses of existing network devices of the existing network and IP addresses of the new network devices, and

resolving conflicts between the existing IP addresses and new IP addresses in favor of the existing IP addresses and assigning previously un-assigned IP addresses to the new network devices.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the advertisement comprises:

a message received from a device that uses either or both of router internet protocol (RIP) and open shortest path first protocol (OSPF) messages to publish information regarding the one or more new network devices being added to the existing network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more new network devices comprise:

one or more of a router, server, printer, computer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, network switch, and any other network compatible device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a router.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the steps are performed substantially continuously so that new network devices and their respective IP addresses can be detected and resolved substantially continuously.

6. A method for assigning new IP addresses to new network devices in an existing network, comprising:

(a) determining an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices;

(b) determining which of the existing set of IP addresses are designated with a high-priority IP address designation and which are designated with a low-priority IP address designation;

(c) connecting one or more new network devices to the existing network;

(d) determining a new set of IP addresses for one or more new network devices connected to the existing network;

(e) determining which of the new set of IP addresses are designated with a high-priority IP address designation and which are designated with a low-priority IP address designation;

(f) comparing new high-priority IP addresses with existing high-priority IP addresses and re-assigning IP addresses of the new network devices with the high-priority IP address designation if there is a conflict, and creating a new high-priority IP address list;

(g) comparing new low-priority IP addresses with both existing low-priority IP addresses and high-priority IP address list, and re-assigning IP addresses of the new network devices with the low-priority IP address designation if there is a conflict; and

(h) continuing to monitor the network for new network devices, and repeating the steps of (d) through (g) whenever new network devices are added to the network.

7. A computer network system (network system), comprising:

a first hardware computer server in the network system adapted to assign respective new internet protocol (IP) addresses to one or more new network devices based on one or more communications received by the first hardware computer server, wherein the one or more communications comprise advertisement messages that include information about the one or more new network devices, and wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted to determine an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices, and to assign respective previously un-assigned IP addresses to the one or more new network devices, and further wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted

to determine an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices, and

to assign respective previously un-assigned IP addresses to the one or more new network devices, and

further wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted

to determine if there are any conflicts between IP addresses of existing network devices of the existing network and IP addresses of the new network devices, and

to resolve conflicts between the existing IP addresses and new IP addresses in favor of the existing IP addresses and to assign previously un-assigned IP addresses to the new network devices.

8. The network system according to claim 7 , wherein the advertisement message comprises:

a message received from the new network device that uses either or both of router internet protocol (RIP) and open shortest path first protocol (OSFP) messages to publish information regarding the one or more new network devices being added to the existing network.

9. The network system according to claim 7 , wherein the one or more new network devices comprise:

one or more of a router, server, printer, computer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, network switch, and any other network compatible device.

10. The network system according to claim 7 , wherein the first hardware computer server comprises a router.

11. The network system according to claim 7 , wherein

the first server is further adapted to resolve conflicts substantially continuously so that new network devices and their respective IP addresses can be detected and resolved substantially continuously.

12. A method for assigning new internet protocol (IP) addresses to new network devices in an existing computer network, comprising:

assigning respective new IP addresses to one or more new network devices by a first computer server based on one or more communications received by the first computer server, wherein the one or more communications comprise advertisement messages that include information about the one or more new network devices, and wherein the step of assigning comprises:

determining an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices, and

assigning respective previously un-assigned IP addresses to the one or more new network devices, and further wherein the step of assigning respective previously un-assigned IP addresses comprises:

determining if there are any conflicts between IP addresses of existing network devices of the existing network and IP addresses of the new network devices,

determining a priority level of each of the existing network devices according to a multi-tiered prioritization scale,

determining a priority level of each of the new network devices according to a multi-tiered prioritization scale, and

resolving conflicts between conflicting IP addresses based on the prioritization scale, such that higher prioritization ranked network devices retain their IP addresses over lower prioritization network devices.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the advertisement comprises:

a message received from the new network device that uses either or both of router internet protocol (RIP) and open shortest path first protocol (OSPF) messages to publish information regarding the one or more new network devices being added to the existing network.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the one or more new network devices comprise:

one or more of a router, server, printer, computer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, network switch, and any other network compatible device.

15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the first computer server comprises a router.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the steps are performed substantially continuously so that new network devices and their respective IP addresses can be detected and resolved substantially continuously.

17. A computer network system (network system), comprising:

a first hardware computer server in the network system adapted to assign respective new internet protocol (IP) addresses to one or more new network devices based on one or more communications received by the first hardware computer server, wherein the one or more communications comprise advertisement messages that include information about the one or more new network devices, and wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted

to determine an existing set of IP addresses for existing network devices, and

to assign respective previously un-assigned IP addresses to the one or more new network devices, and wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted to

determine if there are any conflicts between IP addresses of existing network devices of the existing network and IP addresses of the new network devices,

to further determine a priority level of each of the existing network devices according to a multi-tiered prioritization scale;

to further determine a priority level of each of the new network devices according to a multi-tiered prioritization scale, and

to still further resolve conflicts between conflicting IP addresses based on the prioritization scale, such that higher prioritization ranked network devices retain their IP addresses over lower prioritization network devices.

18. The network system according to claim 17 , wherein the advertisement message comprises:

a message received from the new network device that uses either or both of router internet protocol (RIP) and open shortest path first protocol (OSFP) messages to publish information regarding the one or more new network devices being added to the existing network.

19. The network system according to claim 17 , wherein the one or more new network devices comprise:

one or more of a router, server, printer, computer, a facsimile machine, a scanner, network switch, and any other network compatible device.

20. The network system according to claim 17 , wherein the first hardware computer server comprises a router.

21. The network system according to claim 17 , wherein the first hardware computer server is further adapted to resolve conflicts substantially continuously so that new network devices and their respective IP addresses can be detected and resolved substantially continuously.