Method and system for selecting a master controller in a redundant control plane having plural controlllers
First Claim
1. Apparatus for configuring a control plane in a network device having at least one line card for receiving and transmitting data, said at least one line card being communicably coupled to at least one switch fabric via at least one data path, said apparatus comprising:
- first and second control plane processor elements, each operative to generate at least one status signal indicative of the operational status of the respective processor element;
first and second control paths associated with said first and second control plane processor elements respectively and communicably coupling said first and second control plane processor elements respectively to said at least one line card, said first and second control paths being isolated from said at least one data path;
selection logic operative in response to said at least one status signal from said first and second control plane processor elements for generating at least one identification signal for identifying one of said first and second control plane processor elements as an Master control plane processor and for communicating said at least one identification signal to said first and second control plane processor elements;
one of said first and second control plane processor elements being operative in response to receipt of said at least one identification signal to configure itself as said active control plane processor element; and
said active control plane processor element being operative to transmit configuration information over the associated control path to said at least one line card.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for configuring a control plane within a network device. One of a pair of control processors is selected to act as the master of the control plane and the other control processor is specified as a standby control processor in normal operation. In the case of a failover or switchover event, the standby control processor assumes the role of the master of the control plane and updates configuration information within line cards in the network device as necessary. A state machine within the control processor is employed to manage state transitions for the control processor. Each control processor generates at least one signal that indicates whether it is capable of serving as the master of the control plane. Master selection logic selects one of the control processors as the master for the control plane and in one embodiment advertises the identification of the master control processor via triply redundant signals. Voting logic within the control processors and other cards within the network device is employed to identify the selected master unit for the control plane. The selected master control plane processor forwards the configuration information over control paths that are isolated from the data path within the network device.
67 Citations
22 Claims
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1. Apparatus for configuring a control plane in a network device having at least one line card for receiving and transmitting data, said at least one line card being communicably coupled to at least one switch fabric via at least one data path, said apparatus comprising:
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first and second control plane processor elements, each operative to generate at least one status signal indicative of the operational status of the respective processor element;
first and second control paths associated with said first and second control plane processor elements respectively and communicably coupling said first and second control plane processor elements respectively to said at least one line card, said first and second control paths being isolated from said at least one data path;
selection logic operative in response to said at least one status signal from said first and second control plane processor elements for generating at least one identification signal for identifying one of said first and second control plane processor elements as an Master control plane processor and for communicating said at least one identification signal to said first and second control plane processor elements;
one of said first and second control plane processor elements being operative in response to receipt of said at least one identification signal to configure itself as said active control plane processor element; and
said active control plane processor element being operative to transmit configuration information over the associated control path to said at least one line card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for configuring a control plane in a network device, wherein said network device includes at least one line card for receiving and transmitting data over corresponding communication links, said at least one line card being communicably coupled to at least one switch fabric via at least one data path, wherein said at least one line card, said at least one data path and said at least one switch fabric comprise a data plane, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating at least one status signal at first and second control plane processor elements, each of said at least one signal being indicative of the ability of the respective control plane processor element to function as an active control plane processor element for said control plane;
communicating said at least one status signal from said first and second control plane processor elements to selection logic;
generating within said selection logic at least one identification signal responsive to at least one status signal from said first and second control plane processor elements, said identification signal for identifying one of said first and second control plane processor element as said active control plane processor element;
communicating said at least one identification signal from said selection logic to said first and second control plane processor elements;
responsive to receipt of said at least one identification signal at said first and second control plane processor elements, configuring one of said first and second control plane processor elements as an active control plane processor element and the other one of said processor elements as a standby control plane processor element; and
transmitting first configuration information from said active control plane processor element to said at least one line card over a first control path isolated from said at least one data path. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification