Mobile IP mobility agent standby protocol

• US 6,487,605 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2000
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leung, Kent K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PRIETO, BEATRIZ
• Application Number:
  US09/714,466
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/218-230, 709/239, 709/242, 709/231, 709/237, 709/245, 709/318, 370/331, 370/338
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/12 between location registers or mobility servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 between backbone network devices

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for automatically backing up a Home Agent in Mobile IP. The method employs important components of the widely-used Hot Standby Router Protocol, but extends it to include synchronization of the mobility binding table between an active Home Agent and a standby Home Agent that backs it up. Also disclosed is a more general protocol for extending HSRP and related redundancy protocols to synchronize higher level functions other than mobility binding lists in Mobile IP (e.g., address translation tables in Network Address Translation (NAT), address bindings in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers, dynamic ACL in Reflexive Access List, and TCP and GTP layer context in GPRS support nodes: SGSN & GGSN). Still other protocols that could benefit from HSRP include Lock and Key, Context-Based Access List, IP Security (IPSec), and H.323 gatekeeper.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium for performing a method of providing Mobile IP redundancy in a standby Mobility Agent, comprising the following instructions:

instructions for determining that an active Mobility Agent, with which the standby Mobility Agent shares a virtual IP address known to a Mobile Node, is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on a network segment for the Mobile Node;

instructions for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent for the shared virtual IP address on the network segment, thereby handling registrations from the Mobile Node; and

instructions for sending a list of registrations currently handled by the active Mobility Agent on the network segment to a new standby Mobility Agent on the network segment.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for assuming the role of standby Mobility Agent prior to determining that an active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for registering the Mobile Node when it moves to a new location, wherein the Mobility Agent is a Home Agent.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 3, further comprising instructions for receiving a registration entry from the active Mobility Agent, which registration entry specifies registration of the Mobile Node at a remote location prior to determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, further comprising instructions for adding the registration entry to a mobility binding table in the standby Mobility Agent.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for receiving an entire mobility binding table or an entire visitor table specifying multiple registration entries from the active Mobility Agent prior to determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent comprise instructions for receiving a resign message from the active Mobility Agent.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent comprise instructions for determining that no hello message has been received from the active Mobility Agent within a predefined length of time.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent comprise adopting the virtual IP address.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent comprise adopting a virtual MAC address.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising instructions for preempting the active Mobility Agent if the active Mobility Agent has a lower priority than the standby Mobility Agent.

12. A standby Mobility Agent for providing Mobile IP redundancy, comprising:

means for determining that an active Mobility Agent, with which the standby Mobility Agent shares a virtual IP address known to a Mobile Node, is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on a network segment for the Mobile Node;

means for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling registrations from the Mobile Node; and

means for sending a list of registrations currently handled by the active Mobility Agent on the network segment to a new standby Mobility Agent on the network segment.

13. A standby Mobility Agent for providing Mobile IP redundancy, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are adapted for;

determining that an active Mobility Agent, with which the standby Mobility Agent shares a virtual IP address known to a Mobile Node, is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on a network segment for the Mobile Node;

assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling registrations from the Mobile Node; and

sending a list of registrations currently handled by the active Mobility Agent on the network segment to a new standby Mobility Agent on the network segment.

14. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for assuming the role of standby Mobility Agent prior to determining that an active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

15. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for registering the Mobile Node when it moves to a new location, wherein the Mobility Agent is a Home Agent.

16. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 15, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for receiving a registration entry from the active Mobility Agent, which registration entry specifies registration of the Mobile Node at a remote location prior to determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

17. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 16, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for adding the registration entry to a mobility binding table in the standby Mobility Agent.

18. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for receiving an entire mobility binding table or an entire visitor table specifying multiple registration entries from the active Mobility Agent prior to determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent.

19. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent comprise instructions for receiving a resign message from the active Mobility Agent.

20. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent comprise instructions for determining that no hello message has been received from the active Mobility Agent within a predefined length of time.

21. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for adopting the virtual IP address in order to assume the role of active Mobility Agent.

22. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 21, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for adopting a virtual MAC address in order to assume the role of active Mobility Agent.

23. The standby Mobility Agent of claim 13, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for preempting the active Mobility Agent if the active Mobility Agent has a lower priority than the standby Mobility Agent.

24. A computer readable medium for maintaining Mobile IP operation in an active Mobility Agent on a network segment, comprising:

instructions for registering a Mobile Node;

instructions for creating a registration entry internally for the Mobile Node; and

instructions for sending a message notifying a standby Mobility Agent on the network segment of the registration, the active Mobility Agent and the standby Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address known to the Mobile Node.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

instructions for receiving a request from the standby Mobility Agent to dump registration entries for an entire mobility binding table, or a visitor table, containing multiple registration entries from the active Mobility Agent to the standby Mobility Agent; and

instructions for dumping the registration entries for the mobility binding table from the active Mobility Agent to the standby Mobility Agent.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

instructions for periodically sending hello messages to the standby Mobility Agent, thereby notifying the standby Mobility Agent that the active Mobility Agent continues to function as the active Mobility Agent.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

instructions for periodically sending hello messages to a standby group of routers, each configured to act as an active Mobility Agent, thereby notifying the standby group that the active Mobility Agent continues to function as the active Mobility Agent.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising:

instructions for sending a resign message to the standby Mobility Agent before resigning the post of active Mobility Agent.

29. An active Mobility Agent on a network segment, the active Mobility Agent being adapted for maintaining Mobile IP operation, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

registering a Mobile Node;

creating a registration entry internally for the Mobile Node; and

sending a message notifying a standby Mobility Agent on the network segment of the registration, the active Mobility Agent and the standby Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address known to the Mobile Node.

30. The active Mobility Agent of claim 29, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for:

receiving a request from the standby Mobility Agent to dump registration entries for an entire mobility binding table, or a visitor table, containing multiple registration entries from the active Mobility Agent to the standby Mobility Agent; and

dumping the registration entries for the mobility binding table from the active Mobility Agent to the standby Mobility Agent.

31. The active Mobility Agent of claim 29, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for:

periodically sending hello messages to the standby Mobility Agent, thereby notifying the standby Mobility Agent that the active Mobility Agent continues to function as the active Mobility Agent.

32. The active Mobility Agent of claim 29, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for:

periodically sending hello messages to a standby group of routers, each configured to act as an active Mobility Agent, thereby notifying the standby group that the active Mobility Agent continues to function as the active Mobility Agent.

33. The active Mobility Agent of claim 29, wherein at least one of the processor and the memory are further adapted for:

sending a resign message to the standby Mobility Agent before resigning the post of active Mobility Agent.

34. An active Mobility Agent adapted for maintaining Mobile IP operation, comprising:

means for registering a Mobile Node;

means for creating a registration entry internally for the Mobile Node; and

means for sending a message notifying a standby Mobility Agent on the network segment of the registration, the active Mobility Agent and the standby Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address known to the Mobile Node.

35. A router adapted for providing redundancy for a network segment, comprising:

means for assuming the status of standby router on the network segment to backup an active router on the network segment, with which the standby router shares a virtual IP address known to a host based at the network segment;

means for determining that the active router is no longer acting as an active router for the host;

means for assuming the role of active router for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling packet exchange tasks for the host; and

means for apprising a new standby router of an entry to a dynamic list specifying the status of one or more hosts based at the network segment.

36. A router adapted for providing redundancy for a network segment, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

assuming the status of standby router on the network segment to backup an active router on the network segment, with which the standby router shares a virtual IP address known to a host based at the network segment;

determining that the active router is no longer acting as an active router for the host;

means for assuming the role of active router for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling packet exchange tasks for the host; and

apprising a new standby router of an entry to a dynamic list specifying the status of one or more hosts based at the network segment.

37. A computer readable medium for providing redundancy for a network segment, comprising:

instructions for assuming the status of standby router on the network segment to backup an active router on the network segment, with which the standby router shares a virtual IP address known to a host based at the network segment;

instructions for determining that the active router is no longer acting as an active router for the host;

instructions for assuming the role of active router for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling packet exchange tasks for the host; and

instructions for apprising a new standby router of an entry to a dynamic list specifying the status of one or more hosts based at the network segment.

38. In a standby Mobility Agent, a method of providing Mobile IP redundancy, the method comprising:

receiving a list of registrations for one or more Mobile Nodes from an active Mobility Agent on a network segment, the active Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address with the standby Mobility Agent;

determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on the network segment; and

assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling the list of registrations for the one or more Mobile Nodes.

39. The method as recited in claim 38, further comprising:

after assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment, sending a list of registrations currently handled by the active Mobility Agent on the network segment to a new standby Mobility Agent on the network segment.

40. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the list of registrations sent comprises one or more entries from a mobility binding table maintained by the active Mobility Agent.

41. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the list of registrations sent comprises one or more entries from a visitor table maintained by the active Mobility Agent.

42. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the Mobility Agent is a Home Agent.

43. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the Mobility Agent is a Foreign Agent.

44. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the list of registrations received comprises one or more entries from a mobility binding table maintained by the active Mobility Agent.

45. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein the list of registrations received comprises one or more entries from a visitor table maintained by the active Mobility Agent.

46. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein when the standby Mobility Agent assumes the role of active Mobility Agent, it adopts the virtual IP address.

47. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein when the standby Mobility Agent assumes the role of active Mobility Agent, it adopts a virtual MAC address.

48. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for performing a method in a standby Mobility Agent of providing Mobile IP redundancy, comprising:

instructions for receiving a list of registrations for one or more Mobile Nodes from an active Mobility Agent on a network segment, the active Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address with the standby Mobility Agent;

instructions for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on the network segment; and

instructions for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling the list of registrations for the one or more Mobile Nodes.

49. A standby Mobility Agent adapted for providing Mobile IP redundancy, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;

receiving a list of registrations for one or more Mobile Nodes from an active Mobility Agent on a network segment, the active Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address with the standby Mobility Agent;

determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on the network segment; and

assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling the list of registrations for the one or more Mobile Nodes.

50. A standby Mobility Agent adapted for performing a method of providing Mobile IP redundancy, comprising:

means for receiving a list of registrations for one or more Mobile Nodes from an active Mobility Agent on a network segment, the active Mobility Agent sharing a virtual IP address with the standby Mobility Agent;

means for determining that the active Mobility Agent is no longer acting as a Mobility Agent on the network segment; and

means for assuming the role of active Mobility Agent on the network segment for the shared virtual IP address, thereby handling the list of registrations for the one or more Mobile Nodes.