Verification of network paths using two or more connectivity protocols
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, with an intermediate network device along a label switched path (LSP) having a plurality of alternative paths, a request that conforms to a first connectivity protocol to perform a first verification of the LSP;
generating, with the intermediate network device, first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information are associated with two or more of the plurality of alternative paths of the LSP; and
sending the first packet header information and the second packet header information from the intermediate network device to a network device in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol,wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information in the reply packet instruct the network device with packet header information to form packets and direct the packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol.
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Abstract
Techniques are described for verifying a status of a set of paths through a computer network for two or more connectivity protocols. For example, a node uses a first connectivity protocol to concurrently learn information that will cause packets conforming to the first connectivity protocol and packet conforming to a second connectivity protocol to traverse a set of paths through a computer network. After learning this information, the node may verify a status of each of the paths using the first connectivity protocol. In addition, the node may verify a status of each of the paths using the second connectivity protocol. By verifying the status of the paths using both the first and the second connectivity protocols, the node may be able to quickly and accurately determine whether a path has failed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, with an intermediate network device along a label switched path (LSP) having a plurality of alternative paths, a request that conforms to a first connectivity protocol to perform a first verification of the LSP; generating, with the intermediate network device, first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information are associated with two or more of the plurality of alternative paths of the LSP; and sending the first packet header information and the second packet header information from the intermediate network device to a network device in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information in the reply packet instruct the network device with packet header information to form packets and direct the packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A network device comprising:
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a processor; and an exploration response module executing on the processor to receive an exploration packet in accordance with a first connectivity protocol, wherein the exploration response module generates first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information is associated with two or more of the plurality of alternative paths of a label switched path (LSP), wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information specify respective packet header information necessary to direct packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol, and wherein the exploration response module sends the first packet header information and the second packet header information from the intermediate node to a network device in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause a network device to:
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receive a request that conforms to a first connectivity protocol to perform a first verification of a label switched path (LSP); generate first packet header information that conforms to the first connectivity protocol and second packet header information that conforms to a second connectivity protocol; and send the first packet header information and the second packet header information in a single reply packet that conforms to the first connectivity protocol, wherein the first packet header information and the second packet header information in the reply packet specify respective packet header information necessary to direct packets along the individual paths in accordance with both the first connectivity protocol and the second connectivity protocol. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification