System and method for enhancing the availability of routing systems through equal cost multipath
First Claim
1. In a networking environment comprising one or more network processing (NP) devices for routing data packets from a source to a destination via a switch fabric, with each network processing device supporting a number of interface ports, a system for ensuring packet routing from one network processing device to a target network processing device via a target interface port, said system comprising:
- mechanism for tracking operational status of each network processor device and operational status of destination ports supported by each said network processor device in said system, said operational status being maintained at each network processing device;
said network processor devices including mechanism for determining the operational status of a target network processing device and target interface port of a current packet to be routed prior to said routing, routing mechanism for routing packets from source NP devices to destination NP devices and destination ports thereof in accordance with a packet routing protocol, said routing mechanism routing said current packet to a target network processor device and destination port when said target network processor device and destination ports thereof are determined as operational, and routing packets to another operational NP device and port thereof upon determination of non-operational target network processor device and destination port, whereby proper routing of packets is guaranteed with minimum packet lost.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a networking environment including one or more network processing (NP) devices and implementing a routing protocol for routing data packets from a source NP devices to destination NP devices via a switch fabric, with each network processing device supporting a number of interface ports, a system and method for enabling a routing system to recover more quickly that the routing protocol so as to significantly reduce the occurrence of lost data packets to a failed target interface/blade. The routing system is enabled to track the operational status of each network processor device and operational status of destination ports supported by each network processor device in the system, and maintains the operational status as a data structure at each network processing device. Prior to routing packets, an expedient logical determination is made as to the operational status of a target network processing device and target interface port of a current packet to be routed as represented in the data structure maintained at the source NP device. If the target blade/interface is not operations, an alternative route may be provided by ECMP. In this manner, correct routing of packets is ensured with reduced occurrence of lost data packets due to failed target NP devices/ports.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. In a networking environment comprising one or more network processing (NP) devices for routing data packets from a source to a destination via a switch fabric, with each network processing device supporting a number of interface ports, a system for ensuring packet routing from one network processing device to a target network processing device via a target interface port, said system comprising:
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mechanism for tracking operational status of each network processor device and operational status of destination ports supported by each said network processor device in said system, said operational status being maintained at each network processing device;
said network processor devices including mechanism for determining the operational status of a target network processing device and target interface port of a current packet to be routed prior to said routing, routing mechanism for routing packets from source NP devices to destination NP devices and destination ports thereof in accordance with a packet routing protocol, said routing mechanism routing said current packet to a target network processor device and destination port when said target network processor device and destination ports thereof are determined as operational, and routing packets to another operational NP device and port thereof upon determination of non-operational target network processor device and destination port, whereby proper routing of packets is guaranteed with minimum packet lost. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for ensuring packet routing in a networking environment comprising one or more network processing (NP) devices for routing data packets from a source to a destination via a switch fabric, with each network processing device supporting a number of interface ports, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) tracking operational status of each network processor device and operational status of destination ports supported by each said network processor device in said system, and maintaining said operational status at each network processing device;
b) determining the operational status of a target network processing device and target interface port of a current packet to be routed prior to said routing at a current NP device; and
,c) routing packets from source NP devices to destination NP devices and destination ports thereof in accordance with a packet routing protocol, a current packet being routed to a target network processor device and destination port when said target network processor device and destination ports thereof are determined as operational, or being routed to another operational NP device and port thereof upon determination of non-operational target network processor device and destination port, whereby proper routing of packets is guaranteed with minimum packet lost. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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16. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for ensuring packet routing in a networking environment comprising one or more network processing (NP) devices for routing data packets from a source to a destination via a switch fabric, with each network processing device supporting a number of interface ports, said method steps comprising:
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a) tracking operational status of each network processor device and operational status of destination ports supported by each said network processor device in said system, and maintaining said operational status at each network processing device;
b) determining the operational status of a target network processing device and target interface port of a current packet to be routed prior to said routing at a current NP device; and
,c) routing packets from source NP devices to destination NP devices and destination ports thereof in accordance with a packet routing protocol, a current packet being routed to a target network processor device and destination port when said target network processor device and destination ports thereof are determined as operational, or being routed to another operational NP device and port thereof upon determination of non-operational target network processor device and destination port, whereby proper routing of packets is guaranteed with minimum packet lost.
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Specification