Method and apparatus providing for router redundancy of non internet protocols using the virtual router redundancy protocol

• US 6,556,547 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1998
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Management L.P. (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Srikanth, Ayikudy, Meehan, Tom, Mujeeb, Hamayon
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, DUC CHI
• Application Number:
  US09/212,129
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 370/217-219, 370/244, 370/254, 370/389, 370/400, 370/401, 370/466, 370/467, 370/248, 370/242, 370/225, 370/228, 370/220, 370/216, 370/469, 714/3, 714/4, 714/25, 714/43, 714/56, 709/222, 709/242
• US Class Current: 370/317
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers

Abstract

A router providing router redundancy and fail-over protection for Internet Protocol (IP) and at least one other network layer protocol. The router Includes means for determining if the router has Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) enabled, means for determining if the router is a master virtual router for IP traffic, means for configuring the router with a VRRP based Media Access Control (MAC) address that overrides a physical MAC address assigned to a port at which VRRP is enabled, and means for transmitting the VRRP based MAC address in a Routing Information Protocol (RIP) update packet.

Claims

1. In a network providing for a statically configured next hop router for a first protocol, a method for changing a default next hop router for a second protocol, comprising:

initializing a router connected to the network as the master next hop router for the first protocol;

determining if the router has Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) enabled;

configuring the router with a VRRP based Media Access Control (MAC) address that overrides a physical MAC address assigned to a port at which VRRP is enabled;

initializing a redundant router connected to the network as the backup next hop router for the first protocol;

initializing the router as the default next hop router for the second protocol; and

if an event occurs causing a transition to the redundant router as a new master next hop router and a transition to the master next hop router as a new backup next hop router for the first protocol, then transitioning to the redundant router as the default next hop router for the second protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is an Internet Protocol (IP).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second protocol is an Internet Protocol eXhange (IPX) protocol.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the second protocol is an Internet Gateway Management Protocol (IGMP).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the event causing a transition to the redundant router as a new master next hop router and a transition to the master next hop router as a new backup next hop router for the first protocol comprises a failure of the master next hop router to advertise itself as such within an appropriate time interval to the backup next hop router.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the event causing a transition to the redundant router as a new master next hop router and a transition to the master next hop router as a new backup next hop router for the first protocol comprises a preemption of the master next hop router by the backup next hop router.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the event causing a transition to the redundant router as a new master next hop router and a transition to the master next hop router as a new backup next hop router for the first protocol comprises a power failure of the master next hop router.

8. A software product stored on a machine-readable medium, for execution on a router connected to a network, comprising:

means for initializing the router connected to the network as the master next hop router for the first protocol;

means for determining if the router has Virtual Router Redundancy a Protocol (VRRP) enabled;

means for configuring the router with a VRRP based Media Access Control (MAC) address that overrides a physical MAC address assigned to a port at which VRRP is enabled;

means for initializing a redundant router connected to the network as the backup next hop router for the first protocol;

means for initializing the router as the default next hop router for the second protocol; and

means for transitioning to the redundant router as the default next hop router for the second protocol if an event occurs causing a transition to the redundant router as a new master next hop router and a transition to the master next hop router as a new backup next hop router for the first protocol.

9. A method for providing redundancy and fail-over protection in a router that forwards Internet Protocol (IP) and at least one other network layer protocol, the method comprising:

determining if the router has Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) enabled;

determining if the router is a master virtual router for IP traffic;

configuring the router with a VRRP based Media Access Control (MAC) address that overrides a physical MAC address assigned to a port at which VRRP is enabled; and

transmitting the VRRP based MAC address in a Routing Information Protocol (RIP) update packet.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising disabling routing for the at least one other network layer protocol at the port for which VRRP is enabled.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the physical MAC address in the RIP update packet.

12. A router providing router redundancy and fail-over protection for Internet Protocol (IP) and at least one other network layer protocol, the router comprising;

means for determining if the router has Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) enabled;

means for determining if the router is a master virtual router for IP traffic;

means for configuring the router with a VRRP based Media Access Control (MAC) address that overrides a physical MAC address assigned to a port at which VRRP is enabled; and

means for transmitting the VRRP based MAC address in a Routing Information Protocol (RIP) update packet.

13. The router of claim 12, further comprising means for disabling routing for the at least one other network layer protocol at the port for which VRRP is enabled.

14. The router of claim 13, further comprising means for transmitting the physical MAC address in the RIP update packet.