Method and system for network element service recovery

• US 9,130,967 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Bauer, Eric, Eustace, Daniel W., Adams, Randee Susan
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US12/948,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20120124413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,756 Days
• Field of Search: 714 1- 57
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management

Abstract

A method and system for network element recovery are provided. In one form, frontend servers intelligently proxy error or unavailability messages returned by backend servers and simulate frontend server failure. In at least one form, the frontend server also includes intelligence or logic to determine that directing the client to recover service to an alternate system or site would assure better service availability, reliability, and/or quality-of-experience for the client.

Claims

1. A method for network element service recovery in a network including a client operative to conduct a session with a frontend server connected to downstream network elements and at least one alternate frontend server connected to alternate downstream network elements, the method comprising:

detecting by a frontend server of an error in or unavailability of a downstream network element; and

,

sending a response code to the client to trigger the client to redirect service to or recover on an alternate frontend server.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frontend server is a web server.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the downstream network element is a database server.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising suspending the session between the client and the frontend server.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the detecting comprises one of receiving a message from the downstream network element or detecting a timed out response timer.

6. A method for network element service recovery in a network including a client operative to conduct a session with a frontend server connected to downstream network elements and at least one alternate frontend server connected to alternate downstream network elements, the method comprising:

detecting by the frontend server an error in or unavailability of a downstream network element;

determining whether element recovery or cluster recovery should be performed;

if element recovery is determined, switching over by the frontend server to an alternate downstream network element corresponding to the failed or unavailable downstream network element; and

,

if cluster recovery is determined, sending a response code by the frontend server to the client to trigger the client to redirect service to or recover on an alternate frontend server.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the frontend server is a web server.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the downstream network element is a database server.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising suspending the session between the client and the frontend server.

10. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the detecting comprises one of receiving a message from the downstream network element or detecting a timed out response timer.

11. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the determining is based on data traffic.

12. A system for network element service recovery in a network including a client operative to conduct a session with a frontend server connected to downstream network elements and at least one alternate frontend server connected to alternate downstream network elements, the system comprising:

a control module of a frontend server detecting an error in or unavailability of a downstream network element and sending a response code to the client to trigger the client to redirect service to or recover on an alternate frontend server.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the frontend server is a web server.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the downstream network element is a database server.

15. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the frontend server detects the error or unavailability by receiving a message from the downstream network element or detecting a timed out response timer.

16. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the client, frontend server, downstream network elements, alternate frontend server and alternate downstream network elements are IMS elements.

17. A system for network element service recovery in a network including a client operative to conduct a session with a frontend server connected to downstream network elements and at least one alternate frontend server connected to alternate downstream network elements, the system comprising:

a control module of the frontend server detecting an error in or unavailability of a downstream network element, determining whether element recovery or cluster recovery should be performed, if element recovery is determined, switching over by the frontend server to an alternate downstream network element corresponding to the failed or unavailable downstream network element and, if cluster recovery is determined, sending a response code by the frontend server to the client to trigger the client to redirect service to or recover on an alternate frontend server.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the frontend server is a web server.

19. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the downstream network element is a database server.

20. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the frontend server detects the error or unavailability by receiving a message from the downstream network element or detecting a timed out response timer.

21. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the frontend server detecting is based on data traffic.

22. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the client, frontend server, downstream network elements, alternate frontend server and alternate downstream network elements are IMS elements.