Network traffic control during limited power situations

• US 10,454,834 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2017
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vasseur, Jean-Philippe, Hui, Jonathan W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Thai D
• Application Number:
  US15/438,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20170163527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-237, 370241-253, 370217-228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/18 End to end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/10 based on available power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In one embodiment, a device in a network detects a power outage event. The device monitors one or more operational properties of the device, in response to detecting the power outage event. The device determines whether to initiate a traffic control mechanism based on the one or more monitored operational properties of the device, according to a power outage traffic control policy. The device causes one or more nodes in the network that send traffic to the device to regulate the traffic sent to the device, in response to a determination that the traffic control mechanism should be initiated.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, by a first device in a network, traffic towards a second device along a routing path in the network while the second device is experiencing a power outage event;

receiving, at the first device, a request from the second device to regulate the traffic sent to the second device during the power outage event, according to a power outage traffic control policy wherein the request includes a power outage traffic control action for traffic of a certain type, the control action based on one or more operational properties of the second device; and

performing, by the first device, the power outage traffic control action, in response to receiving the request from the second device.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the power outage traffic control action comprises at least one of:

stopping the traffic from being sent, shaping a rate of the traffic, or redirecting the traffic to a third device, wherein the power outage traffic control action is selected based on a criticality of the traffic.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the power outage traffic control policy specifies the action based on a level of criticality of the traffic.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the power outage traffic control action specifies the action based on a type of traffic or an identified sender of the traffic.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the power outage traffic control action shapes a rate of the traffic.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the power outage traffic control policy stops the traffic from being sent.

7. A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions that cause a computer to execute a process including at least a sync daemon, the process comprising:

send traffic towards a device along a routing path in the network while the device is experiencing a power outage event;

receive a request from the device to regulate the traffic sent to the device during the power outage event, according to a power outage traffic control policy wherein the request includes a power outage traffic control action for traffic of a certain type, the control action based on one or more operational properties of the second device; and

perform the power outage traffic control action, in response to receiving the request from the second device.

14. The method as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action redirects the traffic to the second device.

15. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action comprises at least one of:

stopping the traffic from being sent, shaping a rate of the traffic, or redirecting the traffic to a second device, wherein the power outage traffic control action is selected based on a criticality of the traffic.

16. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control policy specifies the action based on a level of criticality of the traffic.

17. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action specifies the action based on a type of traffic or an identified sender of the traffic.

18. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action shapes a rate of the traffic.

19. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action stops the traffic from being sent.

20. The tangible non-transitory computer readable medium as in claim 7, wherein the power outage traffic control action redirects the traffic to the second device.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces to communicate with a network;

a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute a process; and

a memory configured to store the process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to;

send traffic towards a device along a routing path in the network while the device is experiencing a power outage event;

receive a request from the device to regulate the traffic sent to the device during the power outage event, according to a power outage traffic control policy wherein the request includes a power outage traffic control action for traffic of a certain type, the control action based on one or more operational properties of the second device; and

perform the power outage traffic control action, in response to receiving the request from the second device.

9. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power outage traffic control action comprises at least one of:

stopping the traffic from being sent, shaping a rate of the traffic, or redirecting the traffic to a second device, wherein the power outage traffic control action is selected based on a criticality of the traffic.

10. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power outage traffic control policy specifies the action based on a level of criticality of the traffic.

11. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power outage traffic control action specifies the action based on a type of traffic or an identified sender of the traffic.

12. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power outage traffic control action shapes a rate of the traffic.

13. The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein the power outage traffic control policy stops the traffic from being sent.