Redundant routing capabilities for a network node cluster

• US 20050135233A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IP Infusion, Inc. (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IP Infusion, Inc. (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: May, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/216
• 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 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/851 Dynamic network selection or re-selection, e.g. after degradation of quality

Abstract

Graceful/hitless restart features from a routing/signaling protocol may be utilized along with synchronization between cluster members in order to provide routing capabilities in a clustering environment. During normal operation, the active cluster member may operate the routing protocol(s) and communicate with the neighboring components using the cluster'"'"'s address. As the active member learns the routes to the destinations, the routing data may be propagated to the stand-by cluster members across an internal communication mechanism. Configuration information for the routing component may also be propagated to the stand-by cluster members. Upon failure of the active routing component, the standby routing component may be started up such that neighboring routing components located outside of said cluster do not recalculate network topology based on said failure. This allows for failover to occur without affecting neighboring components and unduly burdening the system.

Claims

1. A method for handling failure of an active routing component, said active routing component located on a first network device in a cluster of network devices, the method comprising:

synchronizing routing data from said active routing component with a standby routing component located on a second network device in said cluster;

synchronizing configuration data from said active routing component with said standby routing component; and

upon failure of said active routing component, starting up said standby routing component such that neighboring routing components located outside of said cluster do not recalculate network topology based on said failure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said routing data includes a Route Information Base (RIB).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said routing data includes a Forwarding Information Base (FIB).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration data includes dynamic configuration data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuration data includes static configuration data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said starting up said standby routing component includes performing a graceful/hitless restart.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

synchronizing any data required for graceful/hitless restart from said active routing component with said standby routing component.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if said failure is predicted or unpredicted; and

sending a special message to said neighboring routing components to inform them of the predicted failure before said failure occurs, if said failure is predicted.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

sending a special message to said neighboring routing components to inform them of the unpredicted failure, if said failure is unpredicted.

10. A routing component comprising:

a dynamic routing module;

a configuration manager configured to store configuration information associated with operational characteristics of a second dynamic routing module associated a second routing component;

a network information module, configured to store routing information from the second routing component;

wherein said dynamic routing module is configured to execute upon an indication that the second dynamic routing module is no longer operating; and

wherein said dynamic routing module is further configured to operate according to said configuration information.

11. The routing component of claim 10, wherein said routing component routes information for a cluster of network enabled devices.

12. The routing component of claim 10 wherein said dynamic routing module implements an OSPF routing protocol.

13. The routing component of claim 10, further comprising a communication module, wherein said communication module is configured to transmit a hitless restart event based upon an event associated with said execution of said dynamic routing module.

14. The routing component of claim 10, further comprising a communications module, wherein said communication module is configured to receive a reply from another routing component associated with the receipt of a hitless restart.

15. A routing component comprising:

a control plane comprising;

a dynamic routing module configured to determine a routing path for network data; and

one or more control plane executable modules associated with controlling the operational characteristics of a routing function;

a forwarding plane comprising;

a routing information module; and

one or more forwarding plane executable modules associated with forwarding packets to or from a network according to routing information;

a configuration manager configured to store configuration information associated with operational characteristics of a second dynamic routing module associated a second routing component;

a network information module, configured to store routing information from the second routing component;

wherein said dynamic routing module is configured to execute upon an indication that the second dynamic routing module is no longer operating; and

wherein said dynamic routing module is further configured to operate according to said configuration information.

16. An apparatus for handling failure of an active routing component, said active routing component located on a first network device in a cluster of network devices, the apparatus comprising:

means for synchronizing routing data from said active routing component with a standby routing component located on a second network device in said cluster;

means for synchronizing configuration data from said active routing component with said standby routing component; and

means for, upon failure of said active routing component, starting up said standby routing component such that neighboring routing components located outside of said cluster do not recalculate network topology based on said failure.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said routing data includes a Route Information Base (RIB).

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said routing data includes a Forwarding Information Base (FIB).

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said configuration data includes dynamic configuration data.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said configuration data includes static configuration data.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said means for, upon failure of said active routing component, starting up said standby routing component includes performing a graceful/hitless restart.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further including:

means for synchronizing any data required for graceful/hitless restart from said active routing component with said standby routing component.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for determining if said failure is predicted or unpredicted; and

means for sending a special message to said neighboring routing components to inform them of the predicted failure before said failure occurs, if said failure is predicted.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for sending a special message to said neighboring routing components to inform them of the unpredicted failure, if said failure is unpredicted.

25. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for handling failure of an active routing component, said active routing component located on a first network device in a cluster of network devices, the method comprising:

synchronizing routing data from said active routing component with a standby routing component located on a second network device in said cluster;

synchronizing configuration data from said active routing component with said standby routing component; and

upon failure of said active routing component, starting up said standby routing component such that neighboring routing components located outside of said cluster do not recalculate network topology based on said failure.