Cisco Systems, Inc.
Distributed network query using walker agents

Abstract:

In one embodiment, a device in a network receives a query walker agent configured to query information from a distributed set of devices in the network based on a query. The device executes the query walker agent to identify the query. The device updates state information of the executing query walker agent using local information from the device and based on the query. The device unloads the executing query walker agent after updating the state information. The device propagates the query walker agent with the updated state information to one or more of the distributed set of devices in the network, when the updated state information does not fully answer the query.