Methods and Arrangements to Detect a Failure in a Communication Network

• US 20070255819A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hua, Binh, Kodukula, Sivarama
• Granted Patent: US 7,743,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• 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 45/245 Link aggregation, e.g. trunking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Methods and arrangements to monitor communication components such as a network adapters for activity, and identify components that have lower than normal levels of activity are provided. An identified communication component can become suspect component and a candidate for further testing, including different forms of interrogation. Process for interrogating candidates can include generating and sending test packets having the media access control (MAC) address of the candidate to the candidate and if activity is not detected subsequent to the interrogation, the candidate can be flagged as a failed component. Correspondingly, the component can be deactivated and removed from service. In a further embodiment, a backup component can be activated and assume the role previously held by the failed component.

Claims

1. A method to detect a failure of a communication component of a bundle of components, the method comprising:

routing data to a communication component that shares at least one Internet protocol address with other communication components of the bundle, wherein routing the data should activate at least a portion of the communication component;

monitoring at least the portion of the communication component to determine a monitored activity level responsive to the communication;

comparing the monitored activity level to a predetermined activity level; and

flagging the communication component as a failed component if the monitored activity level is less than a predetermined activity level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an elapsed time subsequent to the routing of an echo command, wherein the data comprises the echo command and flagging comprises flagging the communication component as the failed component if a reply to the echo command is not received during the elapsed time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating the failed component.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating a backup component to replace the failed component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a notification of the failed component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises routing the communication if the monitored activity level of the communication component is below the predetermined activity level during a predefined time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises routing a packet having a media access control address associated with the communication component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises routing a packet with a media access control address indicating a destination associated with the communication component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises routing the data at predetermined time intervals.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein routing comprises routing the communication when the communication component is idle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises detecting at least one of a transmit activity and a receive activity.

12. An apparatus configured to detect failures, the apparatus comprising:

a traffic generator adapted to generate at least one packet to initiate a data transmission routed via a communication component of a bundle of components, wherein the bundle of components is configured to share data transmission activity related to at least one network address;

an activity monitor to detect a monitored activity level of the communication component responsive to the at least one packet; and

an activity comparator to compare the monitored activity level against a predetermined activity level to determine whether to identify the communication component as a failed component.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a component flagger to flag the communication component as a failed component if the activity monitor detects less than a predetermined activity level.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a register to store the monitored activity level.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a processor to control at least one timer, the traffic generator, the activity monitor, and the activity comparator.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one packet comprise a test packet having a destination media access control address of the communication component.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication component is an Ethernet adapter.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a backup component.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the activity comprises transmit and receive activity.

20. An apparatus to detect failure of a network adapter of bundled adapters, the apparatus comprising:

a timing module to define a time interval;

an activity monitor to determine an activity level of a network adapter during the time interval and to monitor activity of the network adapter responsive to at least one test packet;

an activity comparator to compare the determined activity level to a predetermined activity level, to identify the network adapter as a suspect adapter if the determined activity is less than the predetermined activity level;

a traffic generator to transmit at least one test packet to the suspect adapter; and

a flagger to flag the suspect adapter as a failed adapter if the monitored activity is less than a projected activity associated with the at least one test packet.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a processor to modify an address assignment table based upon failure of the network adapter.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the network adapter comprises logic to maintain a count of packet receptions in a register.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the monitor detects activity of the network adapter subsequent to the transmission of the at least one test packet and flags the network adapter as a failed adapter if no activity by the network adapter, responsive to the at least one test packet is detected.

24. A system comprising:

bundled adapters to share a data transmission load;

a failure detection logic coupled to the bundled adapters to retrieve a first value indicative of data transmission activity, to identify a suspect adapter based upon the value, to transmit a test packet via the suspect adapter, to retrieve a second value indicative of data transmission activity via the suspect adapter, and to determine whether to mark the suspect adapter as a failed adapter based upon the second value.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the failure detection logic further comprises a flagger to deactivate the failed adapter.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the flagger is adapted to activate a backup adapter to replace the failed adapter.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the failure detection logic is capable of communicating with another failure detection logic to identify the failed adapter.

28. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

route data to a communication component that shares at least one Internet protocol address with other communication components of the bundle, wherein routing the data should activate at least a portion of the communication component;

monitor at least the portion of the communication component to determine a monitored activity level responsive to the communication;

compare the monitored activity level to a predetermined activity level; and

identify the communication component as a failed component if the monitored activity level is less than a predetermined activity level.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to activate a backup component to replace the failed component.