Distributed implementation of control protocols in routers and switches
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- a control card, comprising;
a control processor configured and arranged to execute a control portion of an interior gateway signaling protocol; and
a table of label switched paths;
a line card, comprising;
a line processor configured and arranged to execute an offload portion of an interior gateway signaling protocol; and
at least one timer associated with each label switched path; and
a backplane to allow the control card and the line card to communicate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A router uses a distributed implementation of a routing control protocol to route a packet between a plurality of computer networks. The router includes a control-plane having a control-plane processor to implement a central control portion of the control protocol and a plurality of forwarding-planes, each having a forwarding-plane processor, to implement an offload control portion of the control protocol. A back-plane connects the forwarding-planes to each other and to the control-plane. Together, these components route a packet based on the distributed implementation of the control protocol. The protocol may be a signaling protocol, such as RSVP-TE, or a routing protocol, such as OSPF.
62 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a control card, comprising;
a control processor configured and arranged to execute a control portion of an interior gateway signaling protocol; and
a table of label switched paths;
a line card, comprising;
a line processor configured and arranged to execute an offload portion of an interior gateway signaling protocol; and
at least one timer associated with each label switched path; and
a backplane to allow the control card and the line card to communicate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of handling an interior gateway signaling protocol, comprising:
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establishing connections with peer devices;
executing at least one state machine for each connection established;
exchanging and validating signaling protocol messages with peer devices; and
communicating with a control card if there is a failure or a connection status change. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of establishing an offload portion of a distributed exterior gateway protocol, comprising:
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initializing a line card;
registering an offload portion of a protocol to be executed by the line-card with a central registration point;
setup a control connection with a control card;
transmit data resource data to the control card;
receiving configuration information from the control card;
establishing signaling connections with interior gateway peers;
performing signaling protocol functions at the line-card; and
communicating with the control card during failures or signaling connection changes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of establishing a control portion of a distributed exterior gateway protocol, comprising:
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initializing a control card;
registering a control portion of a protocol to be executed by the control card with a central registration point;
setting up control connections with line-cards executing offload portions of the protocol;
configuring the line cards by providing information with regard to signaling peers, link switched paths, and link switched path timeout periods; and
performing core signaling protocol functions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An article of machine-readable code containing instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to:
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establish connections with peer devices;
execute at least one state machine for each connection established;
exchange and validate signaling protocol messages with peer devices; and
communicate with a control card if there is a failure or a connection status change. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A system, comprising:
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a control card, comprising;
a control processor configured and arranged to execute a control portion of a routing protocol; and
a control version of a link state database;
a line card, comprising;
a line processor configured and arranged to execute an offload portion of a routing protocol; and
a local version of a link state database; and
a backplane to allow the control card and the line card to communicate. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of distributing a routing protocol, comprising:
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discovering a new neighboring device;
receiving a link state update from the new neighboring device;
verifying validity of link state advertisements in the link state update;
determining if the link state advertisements are to be added to a link state database;
if the link state advertisement is to be added to the link state database updating a local version of the link state database and communicating link state advertisement to a central version of the link state database on a control card. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of establishing a control portion of a routing protocol, comprising:
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setting up a control connection with at least one line card;
configuring the link card with a local version of a link state database;
determining status of neighboring devices;
sending a link state request list for selected neighbors to the line card;
sending a link state advertisement header to the line card; and
adding any link state advertisements to a control version of the link state database when received from the line card. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. An article of machine-readable media containing instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to:
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discover a new neighboring device;
receive a link state update from the new neighboring device;
verify validity of link state advertisements in the link state update;
determine if the link state advertisements are to be added to a link state database;
if the link state advertisement is to be added to the link state database, update a local version of the link state database and communicate the update to a central version of the link state database on a control card. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification