Multi-link network gateway with monitoring and dynamic failover

• US 10,116,539 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2018
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Fire & Security GmbH (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Tempered Networks, Inc. (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Fuchs, Ludwin, Bartell, Paul David Lambros, Skene, Bryan David, Ahrenholz, Jeffrey Michael, Tsoy, Konstantin
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Application Number:
  US15/987,762
• Time in Patent Office: 160 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/065 involving logical or physical relationship, e.g. grouping and hierarchies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to managing communication networks. One or more links associated with a gateway computer may be monitored. Each link may be associated with a network addresses, and the gateway computer is associated with a gateway identifier (GID). Metrics associated with the monitored links may be provided. Scores may be associated with the links based on the metrics. The scores may be modified based on policy information. The links may be compared based on the scores and the policy information. A comparison may be employed to activate a portion of the links such that the activated links may be employed to communicate over the networks with other gateway computers. The links may be compared based on updated metrics. The comparison of the updated metrics may be used to activate another portion of the links that are associated with the GID.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication over one or more networks using one or more network computers, wherein execution of instructions by the one or more network computers perform the method comprising:

instantiating a monitoring engine that performs actions, including;

monitoring one or more links that are associated with a gateway computer, wherein the one or more links are associated with one or more network addresses, and wherein the gateway computer is associated with a gateway identifier (GID) that is separate from the one or more network addresses; and

providing one or more metrics that are associated with the one or more monitored links based on the monitoring; and

instantiating a gateway engine that performs actions, including;

providing one or more scores that are associated with the one or more links based on the one or more metrics;

modifying the one or more scores based on policy information provided by a platform engine;

comparing the one or more links based on the one or more scores and the policy information;

employing a result of the comparison to activate at least a portion of the one or more links, wherein the activated portion of the links is employed to communicate over the one or more networks with one or more other gateway computers, and wherein a network address that is associated with the activated portion of the links is provided to the platform engine, and wherein the platform engine associates the GID with the network address;

comparing the one or more links based on one or more updated metrics; and

employing a result of the comparison of the updated metrics to activate another portion of the one or more links, wherein a network address of the other portion of links is associated with the GID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring the one or more links, further comprises, determining one or more target computers that are accessible over the one or more links.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more links, further comprise, a connection to one or more of a cellular wireless network, an Ethernet wired network, an optical fiber network, a microwave network, a plain old telephone system (POTS) network, or any type of a wireless network or wired network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy information defines one or more network routes in an overlay network to the one or more other gateway computers, wherein each route is accessible by the one or more links.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the one or more scores with the one or more links, further comprises:

receiving a message from a node computer that is directed to another node computer;

determining an application that is associated with the message; and

modifying the one or more scores based on one or more of a type of the application or a type of content included with the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the portion of the one or more links, further comprises:

activating two or more links; and

employing the two or more activated links to simultaneously communicate over the one or more networks with the one or more other gateway computers.

7. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes instructions for managing communication over one or more networks, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more network computers perform the method comprising:

instantiating a monitoring engine that performs actions, including;

monitoring one or more links that are associated with a gateway computer, wherein the one or more links are associated with one or more network addresses, and wherein the gateway computer is associated with a gateway identifier (GID) that is separate from the one or more network addresses; and

providing one or more metrics that are associated with the one or more monitored links based on the monitoring; and

instantiating a gateway engine that performs actions, including;

providing one or more scores that are associated with the one or more links based on the one or more metrics;

modifying the one or more scores based on policy information provided by a platform engine;

comparing the one or more links based on the one or more scores and the policy information;

employing a result of the comparison to activate at least a portion of the one or more links, wherein the activated portion of the links is employed to communicate over the one or more networks with one or more other gateway computers, and wherein a network address that is associated with the activated portion of the links is provided to the platform engine, and wherein the platform engine associates the GID with the network address;

comparing the one or more links based on one or more updated metrics; and

employing a result of the comparison of the updated metrics to activate another portion of the one or more links, wherein a network address of the other portion of links is associated with the GID.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein monitoring the one or more links, further comprises, determining one or more target computers that are accessible over the one or more links.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein the one or more links, further comprise, a connection to one or more of a cellular wireless network, an Ethernet wired network, an optical fiber network, a microwave network, a plain old telephone system (POTS) network, or any type of a wireless network or wired network.

10. The media of claim 7, wherein the policy information defines one or more network routes in an overlay network to the one or more other gateway computers, wherein each route is accessible by the one or more links.

11. The media of claim 7, wherein associating the one or more scores with the one or more links, further comprises:

receiving a message from a node computer that is directed to another node computer;

determining an application that is associated with the message; and

modifying the one or more scores based on one or more of a type of the application or a type of content included with the message.

12. The media of claim 7, wherein activating the portion of the one or more links, further comprises:

activating two or more links; and

employing the two or more activated links to simultaneously communicate over the one or more networks with the one or more other gateway computers.

13. A system for managing communication over one or more networks, comprising:

a network computer, comprising;

one or more transceivers that communicate over the one or more networks;

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

instantiating a monitoring engine that performs actions, including;

monitoring one or more links that are associated with a gateway computer, wherein the one or more links are associated with one or more network addresses, and wherein the gateway computer is associated with a gateway identifier (GID) that is separate from the one or more network addresses; and

providing one or more metrics that are associated with the one or more monitored links based on the monitoring; and

instantiating a gateway engine that performs actions, including;

providing one or more scores that are associated with the one or more links based on the one or more metrics;

modifying the one or more scores based on policy information provided by a platform engine;

comparing the one or more links based on the one or more scores and the policy information;

employing a result of the comparison to activate at least a portion of the one or more links, wherein the activated portion of the links is employed to communicate over the one or more networks with one or more other gateway computers, and wherein a network address that is associated with the activated portion of the links is provided to the platform engine, and wherein the platform engine associates the GID with the network address;

comparing the one or more links based on one or more updated metrics; and

employing a result of the comparison of the updated metrics to activate another portion of the one or more links, wherein a network address of the other portion of links is associated with the GID; and

a client computer, comprising;

one or more transceivers that communicate over the one or more networks;

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

communicating over one or more separate links to the gateway computer.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein monitoring the one or more links, further comprises, determining one or more target computers that are accessible over the one or more links.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more links, further comprise, a connection to one or more of a cellular wireless network, an Ethernet wired network, an optical fiber network, a microwave network, a plain old telephone system (POTS) network, or any type of a wireless network or wired network.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the policy information defines one or more network routes in an overlay network to the one or more other gateway computers, wherein each route is accessible by the one or more links.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein associating the one or more scores with the one or more links, further comprises:

receiving a message from a node computer that is directed to another node computer;

determining an application that is associated with the message; and

modifying the one or more scores based on one or more of a type of the application or a type of content included with the message.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein activating the portion of the one or more links, further comprises:

activating two or more links; and

employing the two or more activated links to simultaneously communicate over the one or more networks with the one or more other gateway computers.

19. A network computer for managing communication over one or more networks, comprising:

one or more transceivers that communicate over the one or more networks;

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that perform actions, including;

instantiating a monitoring engine that performs actions, including;

monitoring one or more links that are associated with a gateway computer, wherein the one or more links are associated with one or more network addresses, and wherein the gateway computer is associated with a gateway identifier (GID) that is separate from the one or more network addresses; and

providing one or more metrics that are associated with the one or more monitored links based on the monitoring; and

instantiating a gateway engine that performs actions, including;

providing one or more scores that are associated with the one or more links based on the one or more metrics;

modifying the one or more scores based on policy information provided by a platform engine;

comparing the one or more links based on the one or more scores and the policy information;

employing a result of the comparison to activate at least a portion of the one or more links, wherein the activated portion of the links is employed to communicate over the one or more networks with one or more other gateway computers, and wherein a network address that is associated with the activated portion of the links is provided to the platform engine, and wherein the platform engine associates the GID with the network address;

comparing the one or more links based on one or more updated metrics; and

employing a result of the comparison of the updated metrics to activate another portion of the one or more links, wherein a network address of the other portion of links is associated with the GID.

20. The network computer of claim 19, wherein monitoring the one or more links, further comprises, determining one or more target computers that are accessible over the one or more links.

21. The network computer of claim 19, wherein the one or more links, further comprise, a connection to one or more of a cellular wireless network, an Ethernet wired network, an optical fiber network, a microwave network, a plain old telephone system (POTS) network, or any type of a wireless network or wired network.

22. The network computer of claim 19, wherein the policy information defines one or more network routes in an overlay network to the one or more other gateway computers, wherein each route is accessible by the one or more links.

23. The network computer of claim 19, wherein associating the one or more scores with the one or more links, further comprises:

receiving a message from a node computer that is directed to another node computer;

determining an application that is associated with the message; and

modifying the one or more scores based on one or more of a type of the application or a type of content included with the message.

24. The network computer of claim 19, wherein activating the portion of the one or more links, further comprises:

activating two or more links; and

employing the two or more activated links to simultaneously communicate over the one or more networks with the one or more other gateway computers.