System and method to verify availability of a back-up secure tunnel
First Claim
1. A system for verifying the availability of a back-up secure tunnel between a pair of network elements in a communications network, comprising:
- a first network element for originating and transmitting a back-up tunnel verification test message to a second network element using the back-up secure tunnel in response to the receipt of a back-up tunnel verification test command;
a second network element for receiving the backup tunnel verification test message and transmitting a response back to the first network element using the back-up secure tunnel; and
a backup tunnel verification function logic module in the first network element for accumulating a number of failures to respond by the second network element to the backup tunnel verification tests performed during an active verification period and determining if the accumulated number of failures is less than a threshold value specified in the backup tunnel verification test command.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for verifying the availability of a back-up virtual private network IP security (IPSec) tunnel between two network elements by originating a plurality of connection tests between the network elements. The first network element transmits a backup tunnel verification test message to the second network element over the back-up secure tunnel upon receipt of a backup tunnel verification test command. The back-up secure tunnel includes two unidirectional tunnels. The second network element receives the back-up tunnel verification test message over the first back-up unidirectional secure tunnel and transmits a response back to the first network element over the second back-up unidirectional secure tunnel. The number of failures to respond by the second network element to the backup tunnel verification tests performed during an active verification period specified in the backup tunnel verification test command are reported back to the source that initiated the back-up secure tunnel verification test.
91 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for verifying the availability of a back-up secure tunnel between a pair of network elements in a communications network, comprising:
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a first network element for originating and transmitting a back-up tunnel verification test message to a second network element using the back-up secure tunnel in response to the receipt of a back-up tunnel verification test command;
a second network element for receiving the backup tunnel verification test message and transmitting a response back to the first network element using the back-up secure tunnel; and
a backup tunnel verification function logic module in the first network element for accumulating a number of failures to respond by the second network element to the backup tunnel verification tests performed during an active verification period and determining if the accumulated number of failures is less than a threshold value specified in the backup tunnel verification test command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for verifying the availability of a back-up secure tunnel between a pair of network elements in a communications network, comprising the acts of:
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originating and transmitting a backup tunnel verification test message from a first network element to a second network element using the back-up secure tunnel in response to the receipt of a backup tunnel verification test command;
receiving the backup tunnel verification test message from a second network element and transmitting a response back to the first network element using the back-up secure tunnel; and
accumulating a number of failures to respond by the second network element to the backup tunnel verification tests performed during an active verification period and determining if the accumulated number of failures is less than a threshold value specified in the backup tunnel verification test command. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer readable medium containing a computer program product for verifying the availability of a back-up secure tunnel between a pair of network elements in a communications network, the computer program product comprising:
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program instructions that originate and transmit a backup tunnel verification test message to a paired network element using the back-up secure tunnel in response to the receipt of a backup tunnel verification test command;
program instructions that receive a backup tunnel verification test message and transmit a response back to a paired network element using the back-up secure tunnel; and
program instructions that accumulate a number of failures to respond by the second network element to the backup tunnel verification tests performed during an active verification period and determine if the accumulated number of failures is less than a threshold value specified in the backup tunnel verification test command. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification