Method and system for supporting distributed relay control protocol (DRCP) operations upon communication failure

• US 9,654,337 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Saltsidis, Panagiotis
• Primary Examiner(s): Gidado, Rasheed
• Application Number:
  US14/257,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20140321268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5652 Cell construction, e.g. including header, packetisation, depacketisation, assembly, reassembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/342 between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/245 Link aggregation, e.g. trunking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/46 : Cluster building
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/253 : using establishment or release of connections between ports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/354 : for supporting virtual local area networks [VLAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/03 : Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 : in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A method supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group upon communication failure at a network device is disclosed. The method starts with determining that the network device no longer communicates with its neighbor network device. The network device then determines that its partner network device no longer communicates with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device. The network device determines that the first portal that the network device belongs to has a higher portal priority than the second portal that the partner network device belongs to, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and it determines that the network device has a lower network device priority than the neighbor network device, wherein each network device is assigned a network device priority. Then the network device halts transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device.

Claims

1. A method supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the method comprising:

determining that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device;

sending a port conversation mask type/length/value (TLV) containing a portal state indicator, referred to as portal system isolated (PSI), wherein the PSI indicates a status of no communication;

receiving a link aggregation control protocol data unit (LACPDU) from the partner network device;

determining that the partner network device no longer communicates with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device based on the LACPDU;

determining that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon determining that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal;

determining that the network device has a lower network device priority than the neighbor network device, wherein each network device is assigned a network device priority; and

halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device following the four determinations above.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the PSI is a Boolean value, and wherein the Boolean value is set to true when the IPP is determined to be inactive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the partner network device is no longer communicating with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device comprises:

checking a received port conversation mask TLV containing a PSI indicating a status of no communication for the partner network device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the network device has the lower network device priority than the neighbor network device comprises:

comparing a portal system number of the network device to a portal system number of the neighbor network device; and

determining the portal system number of the network device is higher than the portal system number of the neighbor network device.

5. A network device supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the network device comprising:

ports coupled to the physical or aggregation link of the link aggregation group;

a network processor coupled to the ports, the network processor executing a DRNI function, the DRNI function operative to determine that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device, further operative to send a port conversation mask type/length/value (TLV) containing a portal state indicator, referred to as portal system isolated (PSI), wherein the PSI indicates a status of no communication, receive a link aggregation control protocol data unit (LACPDU) from the partner network device and determine that the partner network device no longer communicates with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device based on the LACPDU, further operative to determine that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon a determination that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, further operative determine that the network device has a lower network device priority than the neighbor network device, wherein each network device is assigned a network device priority, and further operative to cause the ports halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device following the four determinations above.

6. The network device of claim 5, wherein the PSI is a Boolean value, and wherein the Boolean value is set to true when the IPP is determined to be inactive.

7. The network device of claim 5, wherein the DRNI function is operative to determine that the partner network device no longer communicates with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device through:

a check of a received port conversation mask TLV containing a PSI indicating a status of no communication for the partner network device.

8. The network device of claim 5, wherein the DRNI function is operative to determine that the network device has the lower network device priority than the neighbor network device through:

a comparison of a portal system number of the network device to a portal system number of the neighbor network device; and

a determination of the portal system number of the network device being higher than the portal system number of the neighbor network device.

9. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations at a network device to support a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the operations comprising:

determining that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device;

sending a port conversation mask type/length/value (TLV) containing a portal state indicator, referred to as portal system isolated (PSI), wherein the PSI indicates a status of no communication;

receiving a link aggregation control protocol data unit (LACPDU) from the partner network device;

determining that the partner network device no longer communicates with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device based on the LACPDU;

determining that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon determining that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal;

determining that the network device has a lower network device priority than the neighbor network device, wherein each network device is assigned a network device priority; and

halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device following the four determinations above.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the PSI is a Boolean value, and wherein the Boolean value is set to true when the IPP is determined to be inactive.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining that the partner network device is no longer communicating with the partner network device'"'"'s neighbor network device comprises:

checking a received port conversation mask TLV containing a PSI indicating a status of no communication for the partner network device.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining that the network device has the lower network device priority than the neighbor network device comprises:

comparing a portal system number of the network device to a portal system number of the neighbor network device; and

determining the portal system number of the network device is higher than the portal system number of the neighbor network device.

13. A method supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group at a network device, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the method comprising:

determining that the network device receives traffic from the partner network device;

determining that the network device is coupled to the neighbor network device in the first portal of the link aggregation group;

receiving an operation key from the partner network device;

determining that the operation key has been updated, indicating the partner network device is no longer in communication with its neighboring network device, wherein the determining including;

determining that the most significant two bits of a received partner operation key indicate a value of 2 or 3; and

determining that the least significant two bits of an aggregation port'"'"'s partner operation port priority indicate a value of 2 or 3;

determining that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device; and

halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device upon determining that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon determining that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal.

14. A network device supporting a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the network device comprising:

ports coupled to the physical or aggregation link of the link aggregation group; and

a network processor coupled to the ports, the network processor executing a DRNI function, the DRNI function operative to determine that the network device receives traffic from the partner network device, further operative to determine that the network device is coupled to the neighbor network device in the first portal of the link aggregation group, further operative to receive an operation key from the partner network device and determine that the operation key has been updated, indicating the partner network device is no longer in communication with its neighboring network device, wherein the determination of the update of the operation key includes to determine that the most significant two bits of a received partner operation key indicate a value of 2 or 3, and determine that the least significant two bits of an aggregation port'"'"'s partner operation port priority indicate a value of 2 or 3, further operative to determine that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device, and further operative to cause the ports halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device upon determining that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon a determination that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations at a network device to support a distributed resilient network interconnect (DRNI) in a link aggregation group, wherein the network device and a neighbor network device are included in a first portal of the link aggregation group, wherein the first portal is coupled with a second portal including two or more remote network devices, one of which being a partner network device of the network device, wherein each portal is assigned a portal priority, and wherein the network device is communicatively coupled to the neighbor network device via an intra-portal port (IPP), the operations comprising:

determining that the network device receives traffic from the partner network device;

determining that the network device is coupled to the neighbor network device in the first portal of the link aggregation group;

receiving an operation key from the partner network device;

determining that the operation key received has been updated, indicating the partner network device is no longer in communication with its neighboring network device, wherein the determining including;

determining that the most significant two bits of a received partner operation key indicate a value of 2 or 3; and

determining that the least significant two bits of an aggregation port'"'"'s partner operation port priority indicate a value of 2 or 3;

determining that the network device no longer communicates with the neighbor network device; and

halting transmitting and receiving frames of the link aggregation group at the network device upon determining that the first portal has a higher portal priority than the second portal upon determining that an identifier value of the first portal is lower than that of the second portal.