Coordinated reboot mechanism reducing service disruption in network environments

• US 7,688,795 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomson, Allan, Doshi, Bhautik, Badjate, Pramod S., Calhoun, Patrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro; Nick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cho; Un C
• Application Number:
  US11/556,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126498A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 455/338, 455/436, 455/439, 370/218, 370/219, 370/320, 370/321, 370/331, 370/338, 709/208
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes identifying a plurality of network elements for reinitiation, wherein the network elements are operative to manage at least one child element; selecting a first network element from the plurality of network elements, transmitting a disable message to the first network element; determining whether the at least one child element has migrated to one or more alternate network elements; and conditionally transmitting a reinitiation message to the first network element.

Claims

1. Software encoded in one or more computer-readable storage media comprising instructions executable by one or more processors and when executed operable to:

identify one or more central controllers for update, wherein each central controller is operative to manage at least one wireless access point;

select a first central controller from the one or more central controllers;

transmit a first update message to the first central controller, the first update message comprising information corresponding to an update for the first controller;

transmit a first disable message to the first central controller, the first disable message configured to cause the first central controller to transmit a second disable message to each of at least one first wireless access points managed by the first central controller, each second disable message instructing the corresponding first wireless access point to migrate to one of one or more second central controllers;

determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers; and

conditionally transmit a reboot command message to the first central controller based on the determination of whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers, the reboot command message configured to cause the first central controller to reboot in order to effectuate the update to the first central controller.

2. The software of claim 1 wherein the software is further operable to repeat the select, transmit update message, transmit disable message, and determine steps for each remaining central controller of the one or more central controllers.

3. The software of claim 1 wherein the software operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when all of the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

4. The software of claim 1 wherein the software operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined percentage of the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

5. The software of claim 1 wherein the software operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined period of time has expired since the first disable message was transmitted to the first central controller.

6. The software of claim 1 wherein, to determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated, the software is further operable to receive a notification message when a first wireless access point has migrated.

7. The software of claim 1 wherein, to determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated, the software is further operable to maintain current associations between first wireless access points and the first central controller in a data structure.

8. A method comprising:

identifying one or more central controllers for update, wherein each central controller is operative to manage at least one wireless access point;

selecting a first central controller from the one or more central controllers;

transmitting a first update message to the first central controller, the first update message comprising information corresponding to an update for the first controller;

transmitting a first disable message to the first central controller, the first disable message configured to cause the first central controller to transmit a second disable message to each of at least one first wireless access points managed by the first central controller, each second disable message instructing the corresponding first wireless access point to migrate to one of one or more second central controllers;

determining whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers; and

conditionally transmitting a reboot command message to the first central controller based on the determination of whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers, the reboot command message configured to cause the first central controller to reboot in order to effectuate the update to the first central controller.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising repeating the selecting, transmitting update message, transmitting disable message, and determining steps for each remaining central controller of the one or more central controllers.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller comprises conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller only when all of the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller comprises conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined percentage of the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller comprises conditionally transmitting the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined period of time has expired since transmitting the first disable message to the first central controller.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a notification message when a first wireless access point has migrated.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising maintaining current associations between first wireless access points and the first central controller in a data structure.

15. A system comprising:

a wireless network infrastructure node operable to;

identify one or more central controllers for update, wherein each central controller is operative to manage at least one wireless access point;

select a first central controller from the one or more central controllers;

transmit a first update message to the first central controller, the first update message comprising information corresponding to an update for the first controller;

transmit a first disable message to the first central controller, the first disable message configured to cause the first central controller to transmit a second disable message to each of at least one first wireless access points managed by the first central controller, each second disable message instructing the corresponding first wireless access point to migrate to one of one or more second central controllers;

determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers; and

conditionally transmit a reboot command message to the first central controller based on the determination of whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers, the reboot command message configured to cause the first central controller to reboot in order to effectuate the update to the first central controller.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless network infrastructure node is further operable to repeat the select, transmit update message, transmit disable message, and determine steps for each remaining central controller of the one or more central controllers.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless network infrastructure node operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when all of the at least one first wireless access points have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless network infrastructure node operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined percentage have migrated to the one or more second central controllers.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the wireless network infrastructure node operable to conditionally transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller, is operable to transmit the reboot command message to the first central controller only when a predefined period of time has expired since the first disable message was transmitted to the first central controller.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein, to determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated, the wireless network infrastructure node is further operable to receive a transmit notification message each time a first wireless access point has migrated.

21. The system of claim 15 wherein, to determine whether the at least one first wireless access points have migrated, the wireless network infrastructure node is further operable to maintain current associations between access points and central controllers in a data structure.