CORE-BASED SATELLITE NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

• US 20100265957A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Chandran, Girish, Lau, Jason, Foxworthy, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18591 Arrangements for interconnecting multiple systems data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

Systems and methods for implementing a satellite network, are described. The system includes satellite gateways in communication with subscribers over a satellite communication network. The satellite gateways send network communications to the subscribers and receive network communications from the subscribers. The system further includes a first core node in communication with at least one of the satellite gateways. The first core node provides networking services, at L2, to a first subset of subscribers. The system further includes a second core node in communication, at L2, with one of the satellite gateways and the first core node. The second core node provides the networking services, at layer-2 of the OSI model, to a second subset of the subscribers. In response to failure of at least one of the networking services in the first core node, the second core node providing the at least one of the services to the first subset of the subscribers.

Claims

1. A satellite networking system comprising:

a plurality of satellite gateways in communication with a plurality of subscribers over one or more satellite communication networks, the plurality of satellite gateways configured to send network communications to the plurality of subscribers and receive network communications from the plurality of subscribers;

a first core node in communication with at least one of the plurality of satellite gateways, the first core node configured to provide a plurality of networking services, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), to a first subset of the plurality of subscribers; and

a second core node in communication, at L2, with at least one of the plurality of satellite gateways and the first core node, the second core node configured to provide the plurality of networking services, at layer-2 of the OSI model, to a second subset of the plurality of subscribers,

wherein in response to failure of at least one of the plurality of networking services in the first core node, the second core node providing the at least one of the plurality of services to the first subset of the plurality of subscribers.

2. A satellite networking system as in claim 1,

wherein the first and second core nodes are geographically located such that:

the first core node is substantially geographically dispersed from the second core node; and

the first core node is substantially geographically removed from a coverage area provided by a set of spot beams generated by the second core node.

3. A satellite networking system as in claim 1,

wherein the first core node and the second core node are geographically located substantially at opposite ends of a preexisting fiber line;

and

at least one of the plurality of gateways is geographically located on the preexisting fiber line.

4. The satellite networking system as in claim 3,

wherein the first core node and the second core node are geographically located such that:

the first core node is substantially geographically dispersed from the second core node; and

the first and second core nodes are substantially geographically removed from a coverage area provided by a set of spot beams.

5. The satellite networking system as in claim 3,

wherein a first core node and a second core node are geographically located substantially at opposite ends of a preexisting fiber line.

6. The satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein the first and second core nodes comprise at least one gateway, and at least one multilayer switch.

7. The satellite networking system as in claim 6, wherein the first and second non-autonomous gateways comprise at least one layer-2 switch and at least one SMTS.

8. The satellite networking system as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of networking services comprise one or more of the following:

acceleration, compression, traffic shaping, DHCP, DNS, PKI, terminal services, TFTP, NTP, accounting, and provisioning.

9. A satellite networking system comprising:

a first core node in communication, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), with a first satellite gateway;

a second core node in communication, at L2, with a second satellite gateway and the first core node; and

a peering node in communication, at L2, with the first satellite gateway, wherein the peering node is configured to provide content or services at the first satellite gateway, and wherein the peering node is further configured to provide content or services at any one of the first code node, the second core node, and the second satellite gateway.

10. A satellite networking system as in claim 9, wherein the first core node and the second core node as comprised within a core.

11. A satellite networking system as in claim 9, wherein the satellite gateway comprises a non-autonomous satellite gateway.

12. A satellite networking system as in claim 9, wherein the peering node is in communication with a content service provider network configured to provide one or more services.

13. A satellite networking system as in claim 12, further comprising a plurality of client devices in communication with the first core node.

14. A satellite networking system as in claim 13, wherein the plurality of devices are configured to receive the one or more services through the peering node and the first core node.

15. A method of implementing a redundant core node architecture in a satellite communication network, the method comprising:

providing, at a first core node, a plurality of services, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), to a first plurality of subscribers through a first satellite gateway;

providing, at a second core node, the services, at L2, to a second plurality of subscribers through a second satellite gateway and the first core node;

receiving, at the second core node, a failure notification of at least one of the plurality of services provided by the first core node;

in response to the failure notification, providing, by the second core node, the at least one of the plurality of services to the first plurality of subscribers.

16. A method of implementing a redundant core node architecture in a satellite communication network as in claim 15, wherein the plurality of services comprise one or more of the following:

acceleration, compression, traffic shaping, DHCP, DNS, PKI, terminal services, TFTP, NTP, accounting, and provisioning.

17. A method of implementing a redundant core node architecture in a satellite communication network as in claim 15, wherein the failure notification comprises one or more instructions to the second core node to redirect at least one of the services of the first core node.

18. A method of implementing a redundant core node architecture in a satellite communication network as in claim 15, wherein the plurality of subscribers are in communication with one or more user terminals (UT).

19. A method of implementing a redundant core node architecture in a satellite communication network as in claim 15, wherein the first and second core nodes comprise at least one gateway, and at least one multilayer switch.

20. A computer-readable medium having sets of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to:

provide, at a first core node, a plurality of services, at layer-2 of the OSI model (L2), to a first plurality of subscribers through a first satellite gateway;

provide, at a second core node, the services, at L2, to a second plurality of subscribers through a second satellite gateway and the first core node;

receive, at the second core node, a failure notification of at least one of the plurality of services provided by the first core node;

in response to the failure notification, provide, by the second core node, the at least one of the plurality of services to the first plurality of subscribers.