FAST FAIL-OVER USING TUNNELS

• US 20170126587A1
• Filed: 11/04/2015
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ranns, Neale D.R., Wijnands, Ijsbrand, Shepherd, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,853,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/825 Involving tunnels, e.g. MPLS

Abstract

Various systems and methods for performing fast fail-over. For example, one method involves receiving a packet at a node. The packet is received at the node in response to a designated forwarder (DF) detecting loss of communication between the DF and a receiver node. The method also involves determining that the first packet was received via a tunnel. The method also involves forwarding the first packet and initiating a DF election. Forwarding the first packet and initiating the DF election are performed in response to determining that the first packet was received via the tunnel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first packet at a first node, wherein

the receiving is performed in response to a designated forwarder (DF) node detecting a loss of communication to a receiver node;

determining that the first packet was received via a tunnel;

forwarding the first packet; and

initiating a designated forwarder DF election, wherein

the forwarding and the initiating are performed in response to the determining.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to the receiving the first packet via the tunnel, receiving a second packet via an interface, wherein

the interface is coupled to a multicast network; and

dropping the second packet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the multicast network comprises one or more BIER-enabled nodes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that the first node is a backup designated forwarding (BDF) node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the tunnel couples the first node to a designated forwarding (DF) node.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

the receiver node comprises a multicast receiver, and

the receiver node is coupled to a local area network (LAN).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allocating a tunnel identifier for the tunnel; and

advertising the tunnel identifier on a local area network (LAN).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the election selects a DF node from among a plurality of nodes coupled to the local area network (LAN), and

the election selects a backup designated forwarding (BDF) node from among the plurality of nodes coupled to the LAN.

9. A system comprising:

a first node configured to

receive a first packet in response to a designated forwarder (DF) node detecting a loss of communication to a receiver node,

determine that the first packet was received via a tunnel,

forward the first packet, and

initiate a DF election, wherein

forwarding the first packet and initiating the DF election are performed in response to determining that the first packet was received via a tunnel.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first node is further configured to:

receive a second packet via an interface, wherein

the interface is coupled to a multicast network, and

the second packet is received prior to receiving the first packet; and

drop the second packet.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the node is further configured to:

detect that the first node is a backup designated forwarding (BDF) node.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein

the tunnel couples the first node to a designated forwarding (DF) node.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein

the receiver node comprises a multicast receiver, and

the receiver node is coupled to a local area network (LAN).

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the node is further configured to:

allocate a tunnel identifier for the tunnel; and

advertise the tunnel identifier on the LAN.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable to:

receive a first packet in response to a designated forwarder (DF) node detecting a loss of communication to a receiver node,

determine that the first packet was received via a tunnel,

forward the first packet, and

initiate a DF election, wherein

forwarding the first packet and initiating the DF election are performed in response to determining that the first packet was received via a tunnel.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a second packet via an interface, wherein

the interface is coupled to a multicast network, and

the second packet is received prior to receiving the first packet; and

drop the second packet.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

detect that the first node is a backup designated forwarding (BDF) node.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

the tunnel couples the first node to a designated forwarding (DF) node.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the receiver node comprises a multicast receiver, and

the receiver node is coupled to a local area network (LAN).

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable to:

allocate a tunnel identifier for the tunnel; and

advertise the tunnel identifier on the LAN.