Maintaining information to optimize restorable dynamic routing with shared backup

• US 20020105904A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kodialam, Muralidharan Sampath, Lakshman, Tirunell V., Lau, Wing Cheong, Hauser, Oded
• Granted Patent: US 6,992,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/124 using a combination of metrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/125 based on throughput or bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery

Abstract

A network element maintains failure information for a packet-based network and usage information for a backup path. Upon receipt of a new demand, with an associated bandwidth, d, the network element determines if the backup path can be shared as a function of the failure information and the usage information associated with the backup path.

Claims

1. A method for use in a network element of a packet-based network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing failure information associated with the packet-based network and usage information for a backup resource;

upon receipt of a new demand, determining if the backup resource is shareable as a function of the failure information and the usage information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the failure information is associated with links of the packet-based network, the backup resource is a backup path, the usage information is related to a bandwidth associated with the backup path, and the new demand has an associated bandwidth, d.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the determining step includes the steps of:

determining, from the failure information, if a simultaneous failure can occur on the backup path and a primary path; and

if no simultaneous failure can occur, updating usage information for the backup path as a function of the bandwidth d associated with the new demand.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the updating step includes the step of determining, from the updated usage information, if the backup path can support the new demand such that if the new demand cannot be supported the new demand is rejected.

5. A network element for use in a packet-based network, the network element comprising:

a memory for storing failure information associated with the packet-based network and usage information for a backup resource; and

a processor, responsive to receipt of a new demand, for determining if the backup resource is shareable as a function of the failure information and the usage information.

6. The network element of claim 5 wherein the failure information is associated with links of the packet-based network, the backup resource is a backup path, the usage information is related to a bandwidth associated with the backup path, and the new demand has an associated bandwidth, d.

7. The network element of claim 6 wherein the processor determines if the backup resource is shareable by determining, from the failure information, if a simultaneous failure can occur on the backup path and a primary path, and, if no simultaneous failure can occur, updating the usage information for the backup path as a function of the bandwidth d associated with the new demand.

8. The network element of claim 7 wherein as part of the updating of the usage information, the processor determines, from the updated usage information, if the backup path can support the new demand such that if the new demand cannot be supported the processor causes the new demand to be rejected.

9. A network element for use in a packet-based network, the network element comprising:

a memory for storing failure information associated with a number of links of the packet-based network;

a communications interface for coupling to a link that is a part of a backup path; and

a processor, responsive to receipt of a new demand, for determining if the backup path is shareable with the new demand as a function of the failure information and usage information associated with the backup path.

10. The network element of claim 9 wherein the processor rejects the new demand if the backup path and a primary path associated with the new demand are determined to be capable of failing simultaneously from the failure information.

11. The network element of claim 9 wherein the processor rejects the new demand if the backup path cannot support the new demand based upon the usage information.