Method of reverting to a recovery configuration in response to device faults

• US 7,290,164 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harvey, Andrew G., Ng, John, Woodman, Gilbert R. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Riad; Amine
• Application Number:
  US10/792,946
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 714/2, 714/19, 714/4, 709/220, 709/227
• US Class Current: 714/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

A method is disclosed for reverting to a recovery configuration in response to device faults. A change to the configuration is received. The change may be in the form of configuration instructions that comprise input from a user identifying changes to be made to the configuration information reflecting the configuration of cards or interface devices in the device. A user, an IT administrator or the like can provide configuration instructions. The device may change its current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions. If a loss of connectivity resulting from the configuration change is detected, the device will recover from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration.

Claims

1. A method of reverting to a recovery configuration in response to faults of a network device, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving configuration instructions;

changing a current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions;

detecting a loss of connectivity between the device and a network resulting from the configuration change; and

recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration, wherein the recovery configuration is stored in a persistent storage of the device in association with manufacturing the device, wherein the recovering step further comprises;

retrieving a recovery configuration;

making the recovery configuration the current configuration; and

establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein changing a current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions comprises:

detecting whether the new configuration will require a change to the current configuration of the device; and

if so;

making the proposed change as the current configuration and setting a flag indicating a pending commit state.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a loss of connectivity resulting from the configuration change further comprises the steps of:

sending a test message;

determining whether a connection is established; and

invoking a recovery routine if a timeout occurs.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein sending a test message comprises sending a ping message.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration further comprises the steps of:

receiving from the configuration manager a network level configuration; and

replacing the current configuration with the network level configuration.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the recovery configuration is a boot configuration and wherein establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration comprises:

establishing connectivity with the configuration manager as a new device.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the recovery configuration differs from a boot configuration and wherein establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration comprises:

establishing connectivity with the configuration manager as a device seeking reconfiguration.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein retrieving the recovery configuration comprises:

obtaining security credentials enabling the device to establish connectivity to the configuration manager.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein retrieving the recovery configuration comprises:

obtaining a configuration for a state enabling the device to establish connectivity to the configuration manager.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

establishing connectivity to a network using the network level configuration as the current configuration.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving an updated recovery configuration; and

replacing the recovery configuration with the updated recovery configuration.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein receiving an updated recovery configuration comprises:

connecting to a configuration manager using a maintenance network connection;

receiving from the configuration manager an updated configuration.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

blocking changes to the recovery configuration.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

committing the configuration if a connection is established and no timeout occurs.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration comprises:

copying the recovery configuration from a persistent storage to the current configuration for the device; and

rebooting the device.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein rebooting the device includes loading the recovery configuration into the memory of the device to determine the configuration of interfaces of the device.

17. A method of reverting to a recovery configuration in response to device faults, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

receiving configuration instructions;

changing a current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions by

detecting whether the new configuration will require a change to the current configuration of the device; and

if so;

making the proposed change as the current configuration and setting a flag indicating pending commit;

detecting a loss of connectivity resulting from the configuration change by sending a test message;

determining whether a connection is established; and

invoking a recovery routine if a timeout occurs; and

recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration by

making a recovery configuration stored in a persistent storage of the device in association with manufacturing the device the current configuration;

establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration;

receiving from the configuration manager a network level configuration; and

replacing the current configuration with the network level configuration.

18. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for reverting to a recovery configuration in response to faults of a network device, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving configuration instructions;

changing the current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions;

detecting a loss of connectivity between the device and a network resulting from the configuration change;

recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration

wherein the recovery configuration is stored in a persistent storage of the device in association with manufacturing the device, wherein the recovering step further comprises;

retrieving the recovery configuration;

making the recovery configuration the current configuration; and

establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration.

19. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 18, further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

storing the recovery configuration into a persistent storage of the device in association with manufacturing the device.

20. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the instructions for changing the current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions further comprise instructions for carrying out the steps of:

detecting whether the new configuration will require a change to the current configuration of the device; and

if so;

making the proposed change as the current configuration and setting a flag indicating pending commit state.

21. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the instructions for detecting a loss of connectivity resulting from the configuration change further comprise instructions for carrying out the steps of:

sending a test message;

determining whether a connection is established; and

invoking a recovery routine if a timeout occurs.

22. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 21, wherein the instructions for sending a test message further comprising instructions for carrying out the step of:

sending a ping message.

23. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the instructions for recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the steps of:

retrieving a recovery configuration;

making a recovery configuration the current configuration; and

establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration.

24. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions for recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the steps of:

receiving from the configuration manager a network level configuration; and

replacing the current configuration with the network level configuration.

25. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the recovery configuration is a boot configuration and wherein the instructions for establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the step of:

establishing connectivity with the configuration manager as a new device.

26. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the recovery configuration differs from a boot configuration and wherein the instructions for establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the step of:

establishing connectivity with the configuration manager as a device seeking reconfiguration.

27. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions for retrieving the recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the step of:

obtaining security credentials enabling the device to establish connectivity to the configuration manager.

28. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions for retrieving the recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the step of:

obtaining a configuration for a state enabling the device to establish connectivity to the configuration manager.

29. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 23, further comprises the steps of:

establishing connectivity to a network using the network level configuration as the current configuration.

30. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 23, wherein the instructions for establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration further comprise instructions carrying out the steps of:

copying the recovery configuration from a persistent storage to the current configuration for the device; and

rebooting the device.

31. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 30, wherein rebooting the device includes:

loading the recovery configuration into the memory of the device to determine the configuration of interfaces of the device.

32. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions for carrying out the step of:

receiving an updated recovery configuration; and

replacing the recovery configuration with the updated recovery configuration.

33. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 32, wherein the instructions for receiving an updated recovery configuration further comprising instructions for carrying out the step of:

connecting to a configuration manager using a maintenance network connection;

receiving from the configuration manager an updated configuration.

34. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions for carrying out the step of:

blocking changes to the recovery configuration.

35. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, further comprising instructions for carrying out the step of:

committing the configuration if a connection is established and no timeout occurs.

36. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 19, wherein the instructions for recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration further comprise instructions for carrying out the steps of:

retrieving a recovery configuration; and

making a recovery configuration the current configuration.

37. An apparatus for reverting to a recovery configuration in response to device faults, comprising:

means for storing a proposed change as the current configuration and setting a flag indicating pending commit if the new configuration will require a change to the current configuration of the device;

means for sending a test message and determining whether a connection is established;

means for detecting a timeout;

means for invoking a recovery routine if a timeout occurs;

means for making a recovery configuration the current configuration;

means for establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration;

means for receiving from the configuration manager a network level configuration; and

means for replacing the current configuration with the network level configuration.

38. An apparatus for reverting to a recovery configuration in response to device faults, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to the data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving configuration instructions;

changing a current configuration to a new configuration based upon the configuration instructions by

detecting whether the new configuration will require a change to the current configuration of the device; and

if so;

making the proposed change as the current configuration and setting a flag indicating pending commit;

detecting a loss of connectivity resulting from the configuration change by sending a test message;

determining whether a connection is established;

detecting a timeout; and

invoking a recovery routine if a timeout occurs; and

recovering from the loss of connectivity by reverting to a recovery configuration by

making a recovery configuration stored in a persistent storage of the device in association with manufacturing the device the current configuration;

establishing connectivity to a configuration manager using the recovery configuration;

receiving from the configuration manager a network level configuration; and

replacing the current configuration with the network level configuration.