Router switches to old routing table when communication failure caused by current routing table and investigates the cause of the failure

• US 6,625,659 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Ikeda, Hiroshi, Amagai, Tatsuhiko, Aramizu, Tatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/484,459
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/239, 709/240, 709/242, 709/243, 709/244, 709/223, 709/224, 709/221, 370/217, 370/399, 370/401, 370/225, 370/331, 370/316, 714/9
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery

Abstract

Even when a communication failure happens to occur, the interrupted communication can be quickly recovered by a router apparatus. The router apparatus is comprised of: a plurality of routing tables into which new route information is stored every time route information is changed; a rewriting time saving unit for saving rewriting time information of the plurality of routing tables; a table switching unit for switching the plurality of routing tables; and a route processor unit for managing, for example, setting/rewriting/deleting the routing table based upon route information supplied by a network operator, or route information obtained by routing protocol. In this router apparatus, when a communication failure caused by the routing table occurs, the failed routing table is switched to another routing table into which old route information has been stored so as to continue the communication, and also, a communication trouble reason is investigated by comparing the route information before/after the failed routing table is switched.

Claims

1. A router apparatus comprising:

a plurality of routing tables into which new route information is stored every time route information is changed;

a rewriting time saving unit for saving rewriting time information of said plurality of routing tables;

a table switching unit for switching said plurality of routing tables; and

a route processor unit for managing, for example, setting/rewriting/deleting the routing table based upon route information supplied by a network operator, or route information obtained from routing protocol,

wherein when a communication failure caused by the routing table occurs, said failed routing table is switched to another routing table into which old route information has been stored so as to continue the communication, and also, a communication failure reason is investigated by comparing the route information before/after said failed routing table is switched.

2. A router apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said old route information is the latest route information.

3. A router apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein only difference information is stored into said plurality of routing tables.