Method and system for the automatic reroute of data over a local area network

• US 8,131,871 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paggen, Christophe
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daftuar, Saket K
• Application Number:
  US11/331,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20070162612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,245 Days
• Field of Search: 709/238, 709/201, 709/223, 709/226, 709/227, 709/230, 709/249, 709/250, 709/251, 370/389, 370/392, 370/390, 370401-406, 370/408, 370/407, 370/409, 370/428, 370/429
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272

Abstract

A method and system for rerouting data over a local area network is provided. The method comprises defining at least one port group associated with a bridging device, each port group including interfaces linked to the bridging device. A plurality of statuses for each port group is defined, the status being dependent on the individual statuses of the interfaces linked to the bridging device. At least one target port associated with each port group, each target port relating to a path for data. The method further comprises defining an action for each status of a port group and monitoring the status of the interfaces forming part of each port group. In response to determining the status of a port group, triggering the predefined action associated with the port group status at one of the port group'"'"'s target ports.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining, by use of a processor, a plurality of port groups associated with a bridging device, each port group of the plurality of port groups including a plurality of interfaces linked to the bridging device, the plurality of the interfaces of each port group being active during normal operations, the bridging device linking a first network to a second network;

defining a plurality of statuses for each port group of the plurality of port groups, a status for a port group being dependent on the individual statuses of each of the plurality of interfaces of the port group linked to the bridging device and including an associated predefined action, the predefined action being selected from the group;

rerouting data, activating a backup device, and sending an error message, wherein the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups is dependent on the status of the bridging device;

defining at least one target port associated with each port group of the plurality of port, each target port relating to a path for data between the first network and the second network;

monitoring the status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups, wherein monitoring the status comprising;

monitoring the status of the bridging device, and determining the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the bridging device and the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups;

determining the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group; and

in response to determining the status of a port group, triggering the predefined action associated with the port group status at one of the port group'"'"'s target ports, the predefined action including creating a bridged path between the first network and the second network and by-passing the bridging device if the status of a port group associated with bridging device is determined to be inactive, the by-passing the bridging device including routing data on the bridged path through a network switch so that data is no longer routed through the bridging device.

2. The method of claim 1, in which monitoring the status of the plurality of interfaces comprises monitoring when a pre-selected number of ports in a port group go down, and triggering the predefined action in response to the monitoring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined action bridges two Local Area Network (LAN) segments.

4. The method of claim 3, in which bridging the two LAN segments comprises dynamically changing a VLAN membership of at least one associated target port to a selected VLAN membership to by-pass the bridging device.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising storing information corresponding to the defined plurality of port groups, the plurality of interfaces associated with the plurality of port groups, the at least one target port associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups, and the predefined action for each status of a port group in a memory.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising accessing the memory to determine the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups and to obtain the predefined action associated with the port group status.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions embedded thereon, the instructions when executed by a machine cause the machine to:

define a plurality of port groups associated with a bridging device, each port group of the plurality of port groups including a plurality of interfaces linked to the bridging device, the plurality of the interfaces of each port group being active during normal operations, the bridging device linking a first network to a second network;

define a plurality of statuses for each port group of the plurality of port groups, a status for a port group being dependent on the individual statuses of each of the plurality of interfaces of the port group linked to the bridging device and including an associated predefined action, the predefined action being selected from the group;

rerouting data, activating a backup device, and sending an error message;

define at least one target port associated with each port group of the plurality of port, each target port relating to a path for data between the first network and the second network, wherein the status of each port group is further dependent on the status of the bridging device;

monitor the status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups, wherein monitoring the status comprising;

monitoring the status of the bridging device, and determining the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the bridging device and the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups;

determine the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group; and

in response to determining the status of a port group,

trigger the predefined action associated with the port group status at one of the port group'"'"'s target ports, the predefined action including creating a bridged path between the first network and the second network and by-passing the bridging device if the status of a port group associated with bridging device is determined to be inactive, the by-passing the bridging device including routing data on the bridged path through a network switch so that data is no longer routed through the bridging device.

8. A system to reroute data over a local area network, the system comprising:

a port configuration module to;

define a plurality of port groups associated with a bridging device, each port group of the plurality of port groups including a plurality of interfaces linked to the bridging device, the plurality of the interfaces of each port group being active during normal operations, the bridging device linking a first network to a second network;

define a plurality of statuses for each port group of the plurality of port groups, a status for a port group being dependent on the individual statuses of each of the plurality of interfaces of the port group linked to the bridging device and including an associated predefined action, the predefined action being selected from the group;

rerouting data, activating a backup device, and sending an error message, wherein the status of each port group is further dependent on the status of the bridging device;

define at least one target port associated with each port group of the plurality of port each target port relating to a path for data between the first network and the second network;

a detection module to;

monitor the status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups, wherein the detection module is configured to monitor the status of the bridging device, and configured to connected to a processor to determine the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the bridging device and the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group of the plurality of port groups; and

a processor coupled to memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups based on the monitored status of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group, and trigger, in response to determining the status of a port group, the predefined action associated with the port group status at one of the port group'"'"'s target ports, the predefined action including creating a bridged path between the first network and the second network and by-passing the bridging device if the status of a port group associated with bridging device is determined to be inactive, the by-passing the bridging device including routing data on the bridged path through a network switch so that data is no longer routed through the bridging device.

9. The system of claim 8, in which the detection module is configured to monitor when a pre-selected number of ports in a port group go down, and the processor is configured to trigger the predefined action in response to the pre-selected number of ports going down.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the predefined action is to bridge two Local Area Network (LAN) segments.

11. The system of claim 10, in which bridging the two LAN segments is configured to dynamically change a VLAN membership of at least one associated target port to a selected VLAN membership to by-pass the bridging device.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a memory to store information corresponding to the defined plurality of port groups, interfaces associated with the port groups, the at least one target ports associated with each port group and the action for each status of a port group in a memory.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to access the memory to determine the status of each port group of the plurality of port groups from the monitored statuses of the plurality of interfaces associated with each port group and to obtain the predefined action associated with the port group status.