Redirection to a virtual router
First Claim
1. In a first router that supports a virtual router protocol, a method of sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router, the method comprising:
- receiving a packet from the host, the packet including a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network;
ascertaining the destination network of the packet from the destination address;
obtaining from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network;
determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network; and
when it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network, composing the redirect packet notifying the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router and sending the redirect packet to the host.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for sending a redirect packet to a host by a first router that supports a virtual router protocol are disclosed. Specifically, the redirect packet notifies the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router. First, the first router receives a packet from a host, where the packet includes a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network. The first router ascertains the destination network of the packet from the destination address and obtains from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network. The first router then determines whether to send a redirect packet to the host. In accordance with one embodiment, this is performed by determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network. When it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network, the first router composes and sends the redirect packet to the host. The redirect packet serves to notify the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a first router that supports a virtual router protocol, a method of sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router, the method comprising:
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receiving a packet from the host, the packet including a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network;
ascertaining the destination network of the packet from the destination address;
obtaining from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network;
determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network; and
when it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network, composing the redirect packet notifying the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router and sending the redirect packet to the host. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a first router that supports a virtual router protocol, a method of sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that packets to be sent to a particular network are to be redirected to a second router, the method comprising:
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determining whether to send a redirect packet to a primary IP address of the second router or to a virtual IP address of the second router, the virtual IP address being associated with one or more routers;
when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the primary IP address of the second router, composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to a specific network are to be redirected to the primary IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host; and
when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the virtual IP address of the second router, composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to the specific network are to be redirected to the virtual IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A first router that supports a virtual router protocol, the first router being capable of sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;
receiving a packet from the host, the packet including a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network;
ascertaining the destination network of the packet from the destination address;
obtaining from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network;
determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network; and
when it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network, composing the redirect packet notifying the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router and sending the redirect packet to the host.
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20. A first router that supports a virtual router protocol, the first router being capable of sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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means for receiving a packet from the host, the packet including a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network;
means for ascertaining the destination network of the packet from the destination address;
means for obtaining from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network;
means for determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network; and
means for composing the redirect packet notifying the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router and sending the redirect packet to the host when it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network.
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21. A computer-readable medium adapted for sending a redirect packet to a host from a first router that supports a virtual router protocol, the redirect packet notifying the host that specific packets are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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instructions for receiving a packet from the host, the packet including a source address identifying the host and a destination address identifying a destination network;
instructions for ascertaining the destination network of the packet from the destination address;
instructions for obtaining from a routing table an address of a next router that is coupled to the packet'"'"'s destination network;
instructions for determining whether the next router and the host identified by the source address of the packet are on the same network; and
instructions for composing the redirect packet notifying the host that packets addressed to the destination network are to be redirected to a virtual address of the next router and sending the redirect packet to the host when it is determined that the next router and the host are on the same network.
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22. A first router that supports a virtual router protocol, the first router being adapted for sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that packets to be sent to a particular network are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory, at least one of the processor and the memory being adapted for;
determining whether to send a redirect packet to a primary IP address of the second router or to a virtual IP address of the second router, the virtual IP address being associated with one or more routers;
when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the primary IP address of the second router, composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to a specific network are to be redirected to the primary IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host; and
when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the virtual IP address of the second router, composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to the specific network are to be redirected to the virtual IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host.
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23. A first router that supports a virtual router protocol, the first router being adapted for sending a redirect packet to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that packets to be sent to a particular network are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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means for determining whether to send a redirect packet to a primary IP address of the second router or to a virtual IP address of the second router, the virtual IP address being associated with one or more routers;
means for composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to a specific network are to be redirected to the primary IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the primary IP address of the second router; and
means for composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to the specific network are to be redirected to the virtual IP address of the second router and sending the;
redirect packet to the host when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the virtual IP address of the second router.
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24. A computer-readable medium adapted for sending a redirect packet from a first router that supports a virtual router protocol to a host, the redirect packet notifying the host that packets to be sent to a particular network are to be redirected to a second router, comprising:
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instructions for determining whether to send a redirect packet to a primary IP address of the second router or to a virtual IP address of the second router, the virtual IP address being associated with one or more routers;
instructions for composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to a specific network are to be redirected to the primary IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the primary IP address of the router; and
instructions for composing a redirect packet indicating that packets to be sent to the specific network are to be redirected to the virtual IP address of the second router and sending the redirect packet to the host when it is determined to send a redirect packet to the virtual IP address of the second router.
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Specification