Flexible scheduling of network devices within redundant aggregate configurations
First Claim
1. A method of providing a network service using a standby group of ATM network devices within an ATM network, each ATM network device within the standby group having its own ATM address and sharing a non-ATM network address with other members of the standby group, the method comprising:
- determining that a first member of the standby group of network devices is not available to provide the network service; and
identifying a second member of the standby group of network devices to provide the network service, wherein determining that the first member of the standby group of network devices is not available comprises at least one of (i) detecting that the first member has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the first member has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A protocol is provided for backing up ATM network devices should they fail. The protocol is implemented in a system running ATMARP and supporting IP over ATM. In the protocol, multiple ATM network devices are combined in a “standby group” and share a common IP address. When an active member of the standby group fails, one of the other members of the standby group takes over ATM responsibility for the functions of the failed device. An ATMARP Server determines which member of a standby group should handle IP packets destined for that group.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method of providing a network service using a standby group of ATM network devices within an ATM network, each ATM network device within the standby group having its own ATM address and sharing a non-ATM network address with other members of the standby group, the method comprising:
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determining that a first member of the standby group of network devices is not available to provide the network service; and
identifying a second member of the standby group of network devices to provide the network service, wherein determining that the first member of the standby group of network devices is not available comprises at least one of (i) detecting that the first member has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the first member has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. On a first network device, a method of providing a network service using a standby group of ATM network devices within an ATM network, each ATM network device within the standby group having its own ATM address and sharing a non-ATM network address with other members of the standby group, the method comprising:
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determining that the first network device is available by at least one of (i) detecting that the first network device has opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the first network device has sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period;
sending a notification identifying the first network device by ATM address and the shared non-ATM network address; and
receiving one or more packets destined for the shared non-ATM network address. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of using a network device in an ATM network, the network device having at least one non-ATM network address, the method comprising:
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assigning the network device to a first group of network devices having a first non-ATM network address; and
promoting the network device from a standby status to an active status in which the network device services the non-ATM network address, wherein promoting the network device is performed in response to at least one of (i) detecting that another network device in the first group of network devices has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that another network device in the first group of network devices has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of using a network device in an ATM network, the network device having at least one non-ATM network address, the method comprising:
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assigning the network device to a group of network devices having a shared non-ATM network address;
determining whether the network device is not available by at least one of (i) determining whether the network device has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) determining whether the network device has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period; and
if the network device is not available, changing the network device from an active status in which the network device services the non-ATM network address to a standby status in which the network device does not service the non-ATM network address.
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24. A server for use in an ATM network including a plurality of network devices, the server comprising:
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one or more processors; and
at least one interface for establishing a connection between the server and a network device of the plurality of network devices, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide a collection of entries wherein each entry in the collection of entries corresponds to a network device of the plurality of network devices, wherein one or more of the entries includes the corresponding network device'"'"'s ATM address, a shared non-ATM address used by the corresponding network device and one or more others of the plurality of network devices, and a value used in determining whether the network device corresponding to the entry is currently acting as the device having the non-ATM address, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to adjust the value when it is determined that the network device currently acting as the device having the non-ATM address is no longer available as determined by at least one of (i) detecting that the network device has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the network device has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A network device for use in an ATM network having a plurality of network devices and a server, the network device comprising:
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one or more processors;
at least one interface for establishing a connection between the network device and a second network device;
an ATM address; and
a non-ATM address shared by at least one other network device in the plurality of network devices of the ATM network, wherein the one or more processors is configured to perform at least one of the following functions;
(i) to open a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) to send a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period.- View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A computer-readable medium on which is provided a computer code for providing a network service using a standby group of ATM network devices within an ATM network, each ATM network device within the standby group having its own ATM address and sharing a non-ATM network address with other members of the standby group, the computer code comprising:
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instructions for determining that a first member of the standby group of network devices is not available to provide the network service; and
instructions for identifying a second member of the standby group of network devices to provide the network service, wherein determining that the first member of the standby group of network devices is not available comprises at least one of (i) detecting that the first member has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the first member has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A network service system using a standby group of ATM network devices within an ATM network, each ATM network device within the standby group having its own ATM address and sharing a non-ATM network address with other members of the standby group, the system comprising:
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means for determining that a first member of the standby group of network devices is not available to provide the network service; and
means for identifying a second member of the standby group of network devices to provide the network service, wherein determining that the first member of the standby group of network devices is not available comprises at least one of (i) detecting that the first member has not opened a virtual circuit within a predetermined period, and (ii) detecting that the first member has not sent a KEEP ALIVE message within a predetermined period.
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Specification