Deactivating a Packet Tunnel Based On At Least One Performance Characteristic

• US 20100039935A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: World Wide Packets, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Original Assignee: World Wide Packets, Inc. (Ciena Corporation)
• Inventors: Davison, Eric Stewart, Busch, Dackary Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 9,112,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0835 One way packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0841 Round trip packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/087 Jitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/18 End to end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 Reducing energy consumption in communication networks

Abstract

Network operating methods provide a first packet switch coupled to a second packet switch via a primary packet tunnel having an active status and one or more inactive backup packet tunnels having an inactive status. The methods access data describing at least one performance characteristic of the primary packet tunnel and, based at least on the data, deactivate the primary packet tunnel while still operational and activate one of the backup packet tunnels. Network operating methods provide a first device coupled to a second device via an active primary packet tunnel and one or more inactive backup packet tunnels, access data describing performance characteristics of the one or more backup packet tunnels, and, based at least on the data, deactivate the primary packet tunnel and activate one of the backup packet tunnels.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A packet switch operating method comprising:

monitoring at least one performance characteristic of an active first packet tunnel configured to forward packets from a first device to a second device, the packet switch being configured to receive packets associated with the first packet tunnel;

determining, based on the monitoring, that data describing the monitored performance characteristic should be forwarded to the first device, the first device being configured to selectively deactivate the first packet tunnel and activate a second packet tunnel configured to forward packets from the first device to the second device; and

sending the data to the first device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the packet switch comprises an intermediate packet switch of the first packet tunnel and further comprising receiving packets associated with the first packet tunnel and forwarding the received packets only to another packet switch associated with the first packet tunnel.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the packet switch comprises an endpoint of the first packet tunnel.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the at least one performance characteristic comprises a one-way frame loss value, a one-way bit error rate value, a one-way latency value, a one-way jitter value, a round-trip frame loss value, a round-trip bit error rate value, a round-trip latency value, a round-trip jitter value, an errored frame seconds value, or a bandwidth value.

25. (canceled)