Error recovery in a mixed protocol networks

• US 6,618,359 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1998
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Chen, Yue Long, Leary, Mark F., Crump, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chau
• Assistant Examiner(s): HYUN, SOON D
• Application Number:
  US09/167,950
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/235, 370/236, 370/241, 370/242, 370/243, 370/244, 370/245, 370/401, 370/400, 370/402, 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709/237, 709/246
• US Class Current: 370/242
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4612 LAN interconnection over narrowband networks, e.g. N-ISDN, PSTN, X.25

Abstract

A method, translating apparatus, apparatus comprising a computer readable medium, and system for error recovery in a mixed protocol communication network includes a translation function that communicates with a first device using a first communication protocol and a second device using a second communication protocol. When the translation function determines that a connection failure occurred between the translation function and the second device, the translation function completes a first link reset procedure with the first device to suspend data flow between the first device and the translation function, completes a connection establishment procedure with the second device to establish a connection between the translation function and the second device, and then completes a second link reset procedure with the first device to enable data flow between the first device and the translation function.

Claims

1. A method of recovering from a connection failure in a translating apparatus having a first communication interface for communicating with a first device using a first communication protocol for a permanent virtual circuit and a second connection oriented communication interface for communicating with a second device using a second communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, the method comprising:

determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and a socket of said second device;

completing a first link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface to suspend data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus;

completing a connection establishment procedure with said socket of said second device over said second communication interface to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device; and

completing a second link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface to enable data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that a TCP open procedure failed to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device failed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device was terminated by said second device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of completing the connection establishment procedure faith said second device over said second communication interface comprises the steps of:

transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a first TCP SYN message;

receiving from said second device over said second communication interface a second TCP SYN message; and

transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a TCP SYN/ACK message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol and wherein the step of completing the first fink reset procedure with said first device over said, first communication interface comprises the steps of:

transmitting to said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is out of order; and

receiving from said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 confirm message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol and wherein the step of completing the second link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface comprises the steps of:

transmitting to said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is operational; and

receiving from said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 confirm message.

8. A translating apparatus comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code means for communicating with a first device using a first communication protocol for a permanent virtual circuit, communicating with a second device using a second connection oriented communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, translating therebetween, and recovering from a connection failure with said second device, the computer readable program code means comprising:

computer readable program code means for determining that a connection failure occurred with a socket of said second device;

computer readable program code means for completing a first link reset procedure with said first device to suspend data flow with said first device;

computer readable program code means for completing a connection establishment procedure with said socket of said second device to establish a connection with said second device; and

computer readable program code means for completing a second link reset procedure with said first device to enable data flow with said first device.

9. A translating apparatus comprising:

a first communication interface couplable to a first device for communicating with said first device using a first communication protocol for a permanent virtual circuit;

a second communication interface couplable to a second device for communicating with a socket of said second device using a second correction oriented communication protocol different from said first communication protocol; and

control logic coupled to said first communication interface and said second communication interface, said control logic comprising;

logic for determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device;

logic for completing a first link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface to suspend data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus;

logic for completing a connection establishment procedure with said socket of said second device over said second communication interface to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device; and

logic for completing a second link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface to enable data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus.

10. The translating apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein said logic for determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises logic for determining that a TCP open procedure failed to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device.

11. The transacting apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein said logic for determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises logic for determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device failed.

12. The translating apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein said logic for determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises logic for determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device was terminated by said second device.

13. The translating apparatus of claim 9 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein said logic for completing the connection establishment procedure with said second device over said second communication interface comprises:

logic for transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a first TCP SYN message;

logic for receiving from said second device over said second communication interface a second TCP SYN message; and

logic for transmitting to said second device over said second communication interface a TCP SYN/ACK message.

14. The translating apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol and wherein said logic for completing the first link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface comprises:

logic for transmitting to said first device over said fist communication interface an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is out of order; and

logic for receiving said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 confirm message.

15. The translating apparatus of claim 9 wherein said first communication protocol comprises and X.25 protocol and wherein said logic for completing the second link reset procedure with said first device over said first communication interface comprises:

logic for transmitting to said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is operational; and

logic for receiving from said first device over said first communication interface an X.25 confirm message.

16. A method of terminating a connection between a first device and a second device, wherein said first device is in communication with a translating apparatus using a first communication protocol for a permanent virtual circuit and said second device is in communication with said translating apparatus using a second connection oriented communication protocol different from said first communication protocol, the method comprising:

determining, by the translating apparatus, that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device;

completing a first link reset procedure between said translating apparatus and said first device to suspend data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus;

completing a connection establishment procedure between said translating apparatus and a socket of said second device to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device; and

completing a second link reset procedure between said translating apparatus and said first device to enable data flow between said first device and said translating apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that a TCP open procedure failed to establish a connection between said translating apparatus and said second device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device failed.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of determining that a connection failure occurred between said translating apparatus and said second device comprises determining that an existing TCP connection between said translating apparatus and said second device was terminated by said second device.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said second communication protocol comprises a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and wherein the step of completing the connection establishment procedure with said second device over said second communication interface comprises the steps of:

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device, a first TCP SYN message;

receiving said first TCP SYN message by said second device;

transmitting, by said second device to said translating apparatus, a second TCP SYN message;

receiving said second TCP SYN message by said translating apparatus; and

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said second device, a TCP SYN/ACK message.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol and wherein the step of completing the first link reset procedure with said first device comprises the steps of:

transmitting, by staid translating apparatus to said first device, an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is out of order;

receiving said X.25 reset message by said first device;

transmitting, by said first device to said translating apparatus, an X.25 confirm message; and

receiving said X.25 confirm message by said translating apparatus.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein said first communication protocol comprises an X.25 protocol and wherein the step of completing the second link reset procedure with said first device comprises the steps of:

transmitting, by said translating apparatus to said first device, an X.25 reset message including an indicator indicating that a network is operational;

receiving said X.25 reset message by said first device;

transmitting, by said first device to said translating apparatus, an X.25 confirm message; and

receiving said X.25 confirm message by said translating apparatus.