Failover/failback trigger using SIP messages in a SIP survivable configuration

• US 7,995,466 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Balasaygun, Mehmet C., Brunson, Gordon, Boyle, Frank J., Lauber, Pamela J., Baker, Al, Jenkins, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah; Chirag G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shivers; Ashley L
• Application Number:
  US12/056,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

Provided are methods, devices, and systems for maintaining a SIP survivable network. The present invention may utilize messages, such as SIP NOTIFY messages, to trigger various network components to failover and failback based on the determined status of the SIP network.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining that a state of a component in a communication system has changed from a first state to a second state;

generating a message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component; and

transmitting the message to a User Agent associated with the component, the User Agent internally maintaining a list of controllers, the internally maintained list of controllers including at least a first and a second controller capable of controlling the User Agent, wherein receipt of the message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component causes the User Agent to update an order of controllers in its internally maintained list of controllers, wherein the component comprises a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) controller for the User Agent, wherein the first state comprises an operational SIP state, wherein the second state comprises a failed SIP state, wherein the message comprises a standard SIP NOTIFY message that causes the User Agent to attempt re-registration with all controllers in its internally maintained list of controllers, and wherein the internally maintained list of controllers comprises the first SIP controller as well as a second SIP controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the message prompts the User Agent to attempt re-registration with the first SIP controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first controller comprises a primary controller of the User Agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the message further comprises:

generating instructions for execution by the User Agent; and

incorporating the instructions in the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the list of controllers comprises a list of SIP controllers, wherein the instructions identify the first SIP controller such that the User Agent can reference its internally maintained list of SIP controllers to identify the first SIP controller as a SIP controller with which it is to attempt re-registration.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reply message from the User Agent indicating that the User Agent believes the component is in the first state; and

in response to receiving the reply message, re-checking the state of the component.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions operable to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A communication device, comprising:

a communication interface configured to connect the communication device to a communication network; and

a discovery module operable to determine that a state of a component in a communication system has changed from a first state to a second state, generate a message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component, and transmit the message, via the communication interface, to a User Agent associated with the component, the User Agent internally maintaining a list of controllers, the internally maintained list of controllers including at least a first and a second controller capable of controlling the User Agent, wherein receipt of the message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component causes the User Agent to update an order of controllers in its internally maintained list of controllers, wherein the component comprises a first Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) controller for the User Agent, wherein the first state comprises an operational SIP state, wherein the second state comprises a failed SIP state, wherein the discovery module is further operable to generate instructions for execution by the User Agent and incorporate the instructions in the message, wherein the list of controllers comprises a list of SIP controllers, wherein the instructions identify the first SIP controller such that the User Agent can reference its internally maintained list of SIP controllers to identify the first SIP controller as a SIP controller with which it is to attempt re-registration, wherein the message comprises a standard SIP NOTIFY message that causes the User Agent to attempt re-registration with at least two controllers in its internally maintained list of SIP controllers, and wherein the internally maintained list of controllers comprises the first SIP controller and a second SIP controller.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the message prompts the User Agent to attempt re-registration with the first SIP controller.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the first controller comprises a primary controller of the User Agent.

11. The device of claim 8, wherein the discovery module is further operable to receive a reply message from the User Agent indicating that the User Agent believes the component is in the first state and in response to receiving the reply message, re-check the state of the component.

12. A communication system, comprising:

means for determining that a state of a component in a communication system has changed from a first state to a second state;

means for generating a message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component; and

means for transmitting the message to a User Agent associated with the component, the User Agent internally maintaining a list of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) controllers, the internally maintained list of SIP controllers including at least a first and a second SIP controller capable of controlling the User Agent, wherein receipt of the message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component causes the User Agent to update an order of controllers in its internally maintained list of SIP controllers, wherein the component comprises the first SIP controller for the User Agent, wherein the first state comprises an operational SIP state, wherein the second state comprises a failed SIP state, wherein the message prompts the User Agent to attempt re-registration with the first SIP controller, wherein the first SIP controller comprises a primary controller of the User Agent, wherein the means for generating is further operable to generate instructions for execution by the User Agent and incorporate the instructions in the message, and wherein the instructions identify the first SIP controller such that the User Agent can reference its internally maintained list of SIP controllers to identify the first SIP controller and the second SIP controller as SIP controllers with which it is to attempt re-registration.

13. A communication system, comprising:

means for determining that a state of a component in a communication system has changed from a first state to a second state;

means for generating a message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component; and

means for transmitting the message to a User Agent associated with the component, the User Agent internally maintaining a list of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) controllers, the internally maintained list of SIP controllers including at least a first and a second SIP controller capable of controlling the User Agent, wherein receipt of the message comprising information related to the determined second state of the component causes the User Agent to update an order of controllers in its internally maintained list of SIP controllers, wherein the component comprises the first SIP controller for the User Agent, wherein the first state comprises an operational SIP state, wherein the second state comprises a failed SIP state, wherein the message prompts the User Agent to attempt re-registration with the first SIP controller, wherein the first SIP controller comprises a primary controller of the User Agent, wherein the message comprises a standard SIP NOTIFY message that causes the User Agent to attempt re-registration with all controllers in its internally maintained list of SIP controllers, and wherein the internally maintained list of controllers comprises the first SIP controller.