Method and apparatus for initializing a new node in a network

Abstract

A method and system for initializing a new node in a network. This initialization includes adding a new node to a network that has a plurality of nodes, and then sending a query automatically to the plurality of nodes to determine what content needs to be downloaded. Then, receiving a reply from a subset of the plurality of nodes that has the content needed for the new node. Lastly, downloading the desired portions of the content from the subset of the plurality of nodes that have the needed content.

1 . A method for initializing a new node in a network comprising: 
 adding a new node to a network having a plurality of nodes;    sending a query automatically to the plurality of nodes to determine what contents to download;    receiving replies to the query from a subset of the plurality of nodes having the contents for the new node; and    downloading desired portions of the contents from the subset of the plurality of nodes having the contents.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said network comprises a packet-communication network.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nodes is arranged in the form of a virtual tree for passing control information, and the new node is a node of the tree.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has a set of attributes and a set of rolled up attributes for identification, the query comprising the set of attributes and the set of rolled up attributes of the new node.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the replies from a replying node comprises: 
 identification of what content the new node should have;    identification of portions of the content available in the replying node; and    performance characteristics of the replying node.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the downloading the desired portion of the content comprises downloading a desired subset of the block files from the replying nodes in close proximity identified as least congested.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the least congested is determined from the performance characteristics.  
   
   
       8 . A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: 
 add a new node to a network having a plurality of nodes;    send a query automatically to the plurality of nodes to determine what content the new node should have;    receive replies to the query from a subset of the plurality of nodes having the content for the new node; and    download a desired portion of the content from the subset of the plurality of nodes having the content.    
   
   
       9 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said network comprises a packet-communication network.  
   
   
       10 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of nodes is arranged in the form of a virtual tree and the new node is a node of the tree.  
   
   
       11 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has a set of attributes and a set of rolled up attributes for identification, the query comprising the set of attributes and the set of rolled up attributes of the new node.  
   
   
       12 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the send a query automatically to the plurality of nodes comprises: 
 announcing the new node's inclusion in the network by sending a notification to at least one neighbor node; and    forwarding the notification to nodes neighboring the at least one neighbor node; wherein    the forwarding continuing until each of the plurality of nodes in the network receives the notification.    
   
   
       13 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the new node does not receive the notification from a neighbor node.  
   
   
       14 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the least congested is determined from the performance characteristics.  
   
   
       15 . A system for initializing a new node in a network comprising: 
 a storage device coupled to a network;    the network having a plurality of nodes, each of the plurality of nodes having one or more distribution servers in a distribution server cluster, the plurality of nodes having content for distribution in the network;    a new node added to the network, the new node sending a query automatically to the plurality of nodes to determine what content to download;    the new node receiving replies to the query from a subset of the plurality of nodes having the content for the new node; and    the new node downloading desired portions of the content from the subset of the plurality of nodes having the content.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said network comprises a packet-communication network.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of nodes is arranged in the form of a virtual tree and the new node is a node of the tree.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein each node of the plurality of nodes has a set of attributes and a set of rolled up attributes for identification, the query comprising the set of attributes and the set of rolled up attributes of the new node.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the sending a query automatically to the plurality of nodes comprises: 
 announcing the new node's inclusion in the network by sending a notification to at least one neighbor node; and    forwarding the notification to nodes neighboring the at least one neighbor node, wherein the forwarding continuing until each of the plurality of nodes in the network receives the notification.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the new node does not receive the notification from a neighbor node.