Techniques for authenticating network protocol control messages while changing authentication secrets

摘要

A method and apparatus for changing a secret value used to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in a trusted domain includes configuring each network node in the domain to use a first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages among network nodes in the domain. After every network node in the domain has been configured with the first secret value, each network node in the domain is configured to use a different second secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages. After every network node has been configured with the second secret value, each network rode in the domain is configured to no longer use the first secret value to authenticate network protocol control messages. Thus a configured secret value for authentication is changed from the first secret value to the second secret value while maintaining communication of network protocol control messages within the domain.