Systems and methods for fractional routing redundancy

• US 9,071,498 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2010
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telsima Corp. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Telsima Corp. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beser, Nurettin Burcak
• Primary Examiner(s): Chea, Philip
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Van Kim T
• Application Number:
  US12/779,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20100293293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/230, 709/231, 709/238
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2007 using redundant communication media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer

Abstract

Systems and methods for fractional routing are described. An exemplary method may include receiving, by a first router, data information regarding routing by a first portion of a third router, receiving, by a second router, data information regarding routing by a second portion of a third router, wherein the data information regarding routing by the first portion and data information regarding routing by the second portion is not the same, routing, by the first router, data associated with the routing by the first portion of the third router, and routing by the second router, data associated with the routing by the second portion of the third router.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first back-up router from a primary router, first data identifying a first data stream, at least a portion of the first data stream initially to be routed by a first portion of the primary router, the first data for assisting the first back-up router to back-up the first portion of the primary router should the first portion of the primary router become unavailable;

receiving, by a second back-up router from the primary router, second data identifying a second data stream, at least a portion of the second data stream initially to be routed by a second portion of the primary router, the second data for assisting the second back-up router to back-up the second portion of the primary router should the second portion of the primary router become unavailable, wherein the first data and the second data are not the same;

receiving, by the first back-up router from a network source, the at least the portion of the first data stream;

routing, by the first back-up router, the at least the portion of the first data stream when the first portion of the primary router becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the first data stream, the routing of the at least the portion of the first data stream by the first back-up router being based on the first data;

receiving, by the second back-up router from the network source, the at least the portion of the second data stream; and

routing, by the second back-up router, the at least the portion of the second data stream when the second portion of the primary router becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the second data stream, the routing of the at least the portion of the second data stream by the second back-up router being based on the second data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data comprises data information associated with the first data stream being routed by the first portion of the primary router and the second data comprises data information associated with the second data stream being routed by the second portion of the primary router.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the first back-up router and the second back-up router, state information of the primary router.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that the primary router is not functional.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determination that the primary router is not functional is based, at least in part, on state information of the primary router.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the primary router is a blade.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first back-up router is configured to perform redundant routing services for the first portion of the primary router.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second back-up router is configured to perform redundant routing services for the second portion of the primary router.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second back-up router is configured to perform redundant routing services for both the second portion of the primary router and another portion of the second back-up router.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by a third back-up router, data information regarding routing by the first portion of the primary router and data information regarding routing by the second portion of the primary router.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third back-up router performs redundant routing services for, at least in part, both the first back-up router and the second back-up router.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising redirecting the at least the portion of the first data stream to the first back-up router and redirecting the at least the portion of the second data stream to the second back-up router.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the primary router becomes unavailable when the first portion has failed, is nonfunctional, or is busy, and wherein the second portion of the primary router becomes unavailable when the second portion has failed, is nonfunctional, or is busy.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the first back-up router and the primary router are geographically diverse from one another.

13. A system comprising:

a first back-up router hardware configured to receive, from a primary router, first data identifying a first data stream, at least a portion of the first data stream initially to be routed by a first portion of the primary router, the first data for assisting the first back-up router hardware to back-up the first portion of the primary router should the first portion of the primary router become unavailable, the first back-up router hardware further configured to receive, from a network source, the at least the portion of the first data stream and to route the at least the portion of the first data stream based on the first data when the first portion of the primary router becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the first data stream;

a second back-up router configured to receive, from the primary router, second data identifying a second data stream, at least a portion of the second data stream initially to be routed by a second portion of the primary router, the second data for assisting the second back-up router to back-up the second portion of the primary router should the second portion of the primary router become unavailable, the second back-up router further configured to receive, from the network source, the at least the portion of the second data stream and to route the at least the portion of the second data stream based on the second data when the second portion of the primary router becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the second data stream, wherein the first data and the second data are not the same; and

the primary router comprising the first and second portions.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first data comprises data information associated with the first data stream being routed by the first portion of the primary router and the second data comprises data information associated with the second data stream being routed by the second portion of the primary router.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first back-up router hardware and the second back-up router are configured to receive state information of the primary router.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first back-up router hardware is configured to determine that the primary router is not functional.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the determination that the primary router is not functional is based, at least in part, on state information of the primary router.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the primary router is a blade.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first back-up router hardware is configured to perform redundant routing services for the first portion of the primary router.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the second back-up router is configured to perform redundant routing services for the second portion of the primary router.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the second back-up router is configured to perform redundant routing services for both the second portion of the primary router and another portion of the second back-up router.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising a third back-up router configured to receive data information regarding routing by the first portion of the primary router and data information regarding routing by the second portion of the primary router.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the third back-up router is further configured to perform redundant routing services for, at least in part, both the first back-up router hardware and the second back-up router.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the network device is configured to redirect the at least the portion of the first data stream to the first back-up router hardware and to redirect the at least the portion of the second data stream to the second back-up router.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein the first portion of the primary router becomes unavailable when the first portion has failed, is nonfunctional, or is busy, and wherein the second portion of the primary router becomes unavailable when the second portion has failed, is nonfunctional, or is busy.

29. The system of claim 13, wherein the first back-up router hardware and the primary router are geographically diverse from one another.

25. A system comprising:

a first back-up routing means configured to receive, from a primary routing means, first data identifying a first data stream, at least a portion of the first data stream initially to be routed by a first portion of the primary routing means, the first data for assisting the first back-up routing means to back-up the first portion of the primary routing means should the first portion of the primary routing means become unavailable, the first back-up routing means further configured to receive, from a network source, the at least the portion of the first data stream and to route the at least the portion of the first data stream based on the first data when the first portion of the primary routing means becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the first data stream;

a second back-up routing means configured to receive, from the primary routing means, second data identifying a second data stream, at least a portion of the second data stream initially to be routed by a second portion of the primary routing means, the second data for assisting the second back-up routing means to back-up the second portion of the primary routing means should the second portion of the primary routing means become unavailable, the second back-up routing means further configured to receive, from the network source, the at least the portion of the second data stream and to route the at least the portion of the second data stream based on the second data when the second portion of the primary routing means becomes unavailable to route the at least the portion of the second data stream, wherein the first data and the second data are not the same; and

the primary routing means comprising the first and second portions.

30. A method comprising:

receiving, by a primary router, a first data stream from at least one network source, a first portion of the primary router being configured to route the first data stream;

transmitting, by the primary router to a first back-up router, first data information identifying the first data stream, the first data information for assisting the first back-up router to route the first data stream should the first portion of the primary router become unavailable;

receiving, by the primary router, a second data stream from the at least one network source, a second portion of the primary router being configured to route the second data stream;

transmitting, by the primary router to a second back-up router, second data information identifying the second data stream, the second data information for assisting the second back-up router to route the second data stream should the second portion of the primary router become unavailable;

monitoring the first portion of the primary router to determine when the first portion of the primary router becomes unavailable so that the at least one network source can redirect the first data stream to the first back-up router; and

monitoring the second portion of the primary router to determine when the second portion of the primary router becomes unavailable so that the at least one network source can redirect the second data stream to the second back-up router.