METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREDICTIVE DESIGNATED ROUTER HANDOVER IN A MULTICAST NETWORK

• US 20110267962A1
• Filed: 06/22/2010
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: J S A, Suganya, Sampath, Rangaprasad
• Application Number:
  US12/821,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20110267962A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/026 Details of "hello" or keep-alive messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery

Abstract

A method for predictive designated router (DR) handover in a multicast network is described herein. The network includes one or more sources, one or more receivers, a rendezvous point (RP) network device, a DR network device, and a plurality of DR-capable network devices. A prediction of failover of the DR network device is determined, prior to an occurrence of failover. In response to the prediction, a protocol independent multicast (PIM) Hello packet that relinquishes the DR role is transmitted. A determination is made as to whether a DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

Claims

1. A method for predictive designated router (DR) handover in a multicast network, the network including one or more sources, one or more receivers, a rendezvous point (RP) network device, and a DR network device, the method comprising:

predicting, by the DR network device, failover of the DR network device prior to an occurrence of failover;

in response to predicting, transmitting a protocol independent multicast (PIM) Hello packet that relinquishes a DR role of the DR network device; and

determining whether a DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disabling the DR network device upon determining that the DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting failover comprises detecting a triggering event in the DR network device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the triggering event is detection of a system health of the DR network device exceeding a high health threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the triggering event is detection of a flapping uplink connected to the RP network device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electing a new DR, wherein the DR election is based on a system health of the new DR and a priority associated with the new DR.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electing a new DR, wherein the DR election is based on a comparison of a system health of the new DR and a low health threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether a DR-capable network device is present comprises receiving, from the DR-capable network device, a PIM Hello packet having a non-zero hold time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the PIM Hello packet from the DR-capable network device is received within an expected time interval.

10. A system for predictive designated router (DR) handover in a multicast network, the network including one or more sources, one or more receivers, a rendezvous point (RP) network device, and a DR network device, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store an electronic document;

wherein the processor is configured to;

predict failover of the DR network device prior to an occurrence of failover;

in response to the prediction, transmit a protocol independent multicast (PIM) Hello packet that relinquishes a DR role of the DR network device; and

determine whether a DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to disable the DR network device upon determining that the DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to predict failover by detecting a triggering event in the DR network device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a DR-capable network device is present by receiving a PIM Hello packet having a non-zero hold time from the DR-capable network device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the PIM Hello packet from the DR-capable network device is received within an expected time interval.

15. A computer-readable medium storing a plurality of instructions for controlling a data processor for predictive designated router (DR) handover in a multicast network, the network including one or more sources, one or more receivers, a rendezvous point (RP) network device, and a DR network device, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the data processor to predict failover of the DR network device prior to an occurrence of failover;

instructions that cause the data processor to transmitting a protocol independent multicast (PIM) Hello packet that relinquishes a DR role of the DR network device, in response to predicting; and

instructions that cause the data processor to determine whether a DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise instructions that cause the data processor to disable the DR network device upon determining that the DR-capable network device is present in the multicast network.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the data processor to predict failover comprises instructions that cause the data processor to detect a triggering event in the DR network device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the triggering event is detection of a system health of the DR network device exceeding a high health threshold.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the data processor to determine whether a DR-capable network device is present comprises instructions that cause the data processor to receive a PIM Hello packet having a non-zero hold time from the DR-capable network device.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the PIM Hello packet from the DR-capable network device is received within an expected time interval.