METHOD AND APPARATUS PROVIDING NETWORK REDUNDANCY AND HIGH AVAILABILITY TO REMOTE NETWORK NODES

• US 20130242718A1
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extreme Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Debin
• Granted Patent: US 8,730,793 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product is presented. A first tunnel is provided across a layer 3 network from a first network device to a second network device. A first virtual interface (VI) is provided on the second network device, and assigned to the first tunnel. Information related to the first tunnel and the first VI is passed to a third network device, which is a member of a cluster with the second network device. A second tunnel is provided across the layer 3 network from the third device to the first network device, and a second virtual interface (VI) is provided on the third network device, and assigned to the second tunnel. Forwarding information is exchanged between the second network device and the third network device. The second network device and the third network device provide forwarding redundancy service to the first network device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

providing a first tunnel across a layer 3 network from a first network device to a second network device, said second network device a member of a cluster of network devices;

providing a first virtual interface (VI) on said second network device, said first VI assigned to said first tunnel;

passing information related to said first tunnel and said first VI to a third network device, said third network device a member of said cluster;

providing a second tunnel across a layer 3 network from said third device to said first network device;

providing a second virtual interface (VI) on said third network device, said second VI assigned to said second tunnel; and

exchanging forwarding information learned on said first VI to said third network device and exchanging forwarding information learned on said second VI to said second network device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said cluster comprises one of the group consisting of a Split Multi Link Trunk (SMLT) configuration and a Routed Split Multi Link trunk (RSMLT) configuration.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second network device and said third network device are in a master/slave arrangement where said second network device and said third network device behave as a single network entity to the rest of network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second network device and said third network device are peers where said second network device and said third network device are visible to the rest of network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second network device and said third network device are used to provide load balancing wherein said first tunnel and said second tunnel are treated as equivalent connections.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said second network device and said third network device are used to provide redundancy wherein said first tunnel and said second tunnel are treated as equivalent connections.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a failure relating to one of said second network device and said third network device and performing recovery actions upon said detecting said failure.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said recovery actions include one of recognizing addresses associated with said second network device as belonging to said third network device and handling said data packets destined for said second network device by said third network device for a predetermined amount of time, or recognizing addresses and tunnels associated with said third network device as belonging to said second network device and handling said data packets destined for said third network device by said second network device for a predetermined amount of time.

9. A computer readable storage medium having computer readable code thereon for method and apparatus providing network redundancy and high availability to remote network nodes, the medium including instructions in which a computer system performs operations comprising:

providing a first tunnel across a layer 3 network from a first network device to a second network device, said second network device a member of a cluster of network devices;

providing a first virtual interface (VI) on said second network device, said first VI assigned to said first tunnel;

passing information related to said first tunnel and said first VI to a third network device, said third network device a member of said cluster;

providing a second tunnel across a layer 3 network from said third device to said first network device;

providing a second virtual interface (VI) on said third network device, said second VI assigned to said second tunnel; and

exchanging forwarding information learned on said first VI to said third network device and exchanging forwarding information learned on said second VI to said second network device.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said cluster comprises one of the group consisting of a Split Multi Link Trunk (SMLT) configuration and a Routed Split Multi Link trunk (RSMLT) configuration.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said second network device and said third network device are in a master/slave arrangement where said second network device and said third network device behave as a single network entity to the rest of network.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said second network device and said third network device are peers where said second network device and said third network device are visible to the rest of network.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said second network device and said third network device are used to provide load balancing wherein said first tunnel and said second tunnel are treated as equivalent connections.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 wherein said second network device and said third network device are used to provide redundancy wherein said first tunnel and said second tunnel are treated as equivalent connections.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9 further comprising instructions for detecting a failure relating to one of said second network device and said third network device and performing recovery actions upon said detecting said failure.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein said recovery actions include one of recognizing addresses associated with said second network device as belonging to said third network device and handling said data packets destined for said second network device by said third network device for a predetermined amount of time, or recognizing addresses associated with said third network device as belonging to said second network device and handling said data packets destined for said third network device by said second network device for a predetermined amount of time.

17. A computer system comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a communications interface;

an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface; and

wherein the memory is encoded with an application providing network redundancy and high availability to remote network nodes, that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of;

providing a first tunnel across a layer 3 network from a first network device to said computer system, said computer system a member of a cluster of network devices;

providing a first virtual interface (VI) on said computer system, said first VI assigned to said first tunnel;

passing information related to said first tunnel and said first VI to a peer network device, said peer network device a member of said cluster;

providing a second tunnel across a layer 3 network from said peer network device to said first network device;

providing a second virtual interface (VI) on said peer network device, said second VI assigned to said second tunnel; and

exchanging forwarding information learned on said first VI to said peer network device and exchanging forwarding information learned on said second VI to said computer system.

18. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said cluster comprises one of the group consisting of a Split Multi Link Trunk (SMLT) configuration and a Routed Split Multi Link trunk (RSMLT) configuration.

19. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said computer system and said peer network device are in one of the group comprising a master/slave arrangement where said computer system and said peer network device behave as a single network entity to the rest of network or wherein said computer system and said peer network device are peers where said computer system and said peer network device are visible to the rest of said network.

20. The computer system of claim 17 wherein said computer system detects a failure relating to a peer network device and performs recovery actions upon said detecting said failure, wherein said recovery actions include recognizing addresses associated with said peer network device as belonging to said computer system and handling data packets destined for said peer network device by said computer system for a predetermined amount of time.