Reliability of a connection during a communication session on a network device

• US 10,038,590 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOTO Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jive Communications Incorporated (LogMeIn, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zourzouvillys, Theo Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Warner
• Application Number:
  US15/392,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20170111214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 370228-229, 370217-220, 709238, 709239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• 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 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/148 Migration or transfer of sessions
• 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: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0081 Network operation, administration, maintenance, or provisioning

Abstract

The present application details methods and systems for improving the reliability of a connection during a communication session on a network device. In one or more embodiments, the network device maps to and connects with multiple datacenters. For example, the network device connects with a primary datacenter and participates in a communication session via a primary media bridge connection while jointly being connected with a secondary datacenter. In addition, the network device can switch from the primary media bridge connection to a secondary media bridge connection if a fault is detected on the primary media bridge connection.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, from a primary datacenter, a primary media bridge connection that provides a first communication path between a first network device and a second network device, wherein the first communication path excludes the primary datacenter;

establishing a communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the primary media bridge connection that excludes the primary datacenter; and

receiving, from a secondary datacenter, a secondary media bridge connection while maintaining the established communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the primary media bridge connection, wherein the secondary media bridge connection provides a second communication path between the first network device and the second network device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting the primary media bridge connection from the primary datacenter, wherein receiving the primary media bridge connection is in response to requesting the primary media bridge connection;

requesting the secondary media bridge connection from the secondary datacenter, wherein receiving the secondary media bridge connection is in response to requesting the primary media bridge connection; and

wherein the primary datacenter and the secondary datacenter are located in separate geographic locations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a quality rating of the primary media bridge connection during the communication session between the first network device and the second network device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that the quality rating of the primary media bridge connection is below a defined quality threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to determining that the quality rating of the primary media bridge connection is below the defined quality threshold, switching from the primary media bridge connection to the secondary media bridge connection without interrupting the communication session between the first network device and the second network device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising requesting an additional media bridge connection while maintaining the communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the secondary media bridge connection.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving, in response to the request for the additional media bridge connection, a third media bridge connection that provides a third communication path between the first network device and the second network device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a fault in the primary media bridge connection during the communication session.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising switching from the primary media bridge connection to the secondary media bridge connection upon detecting the fault in the primary media bridge connection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the fault in the primary media bridge connection comprises determining that communication is no longer possible using the first communication path between the first network device and the second network device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network device and the second network device are voice-over internet protocol devices.

12. A method, comprising:

providing, from a primary datacenter and to a first network device, a primary media bridge connection that provides a first communication path between a first network device and a second network device, wherein the first communication path excludes the primary datacenter;

establishing, using the primary media bridge connection, a communication session directly between the first network device and the second network device without routing through the primary datacenter; and

providing, from a secondary datacenter to the first network device, a secondary media bridge connection while maintaining the established communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the primary media bridge connection, wherein the secondary media bridge connection provides a second communication path between the first network device and the second network device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing, from the primary datacenter to the first network device, a primary address used to map the first network device to the primary datacenter; and

establishing, by the primary data center, a primary datacenter connection between the primary datacenter and the first network device using the primary address, wherein the primary media bridge connection is provided via the primary datacenter connection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing, from the secondary datacenter to the first network device, a secondary address used to map the first network device to the secondary datacenter; and

establishing, by the secondary datacenter, a secondary datacenter connection between the secondary datacenter and the first network device using the secondary address, wherein the secondary media bridge connection is provided via the secondary datacenter connection.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising actively employing the primary datacenter connection while maintaining the secondary datacenter connection.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a fault in the primary datacenter connection; and

based on detecting the fault in the primary datacenter connection, switching from the primary datacenter connection to actively employ the secondary datacenter connection.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, based on detecting the fault in the primary datacenter connection, switching the communication session between the first network device and the second network device from the primary media bridge connection to the secondary media bridge connection.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising, maintaining, between the primary data center and the first network device, a primary datacenter connection between the primary datacenter and the first network device that monitors a connection status of the established communication session.

19. A system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

provide, to a first network device, a primary media bridge connection that provides a first communication path between a first network device and a second network device, wherein the first communication path excludes a datacenter;

establish a communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the primary media bridge connection that excludes the datacenter; and

provide, to the first network device, a secondary media bridge connection while maintaining the established communication session between the first network device and the second network device using the primary media bridge connection, wherein the secondary media bridge connection provides a second communication path between the first network device and the second network device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

identify one or more communication characteristics associated with the primary media bridge connection that indicate a communication capability of the primary media bridge connection is unsatisfactory; and

in response to identifying the one or more communication characteristics that indicate the communication capability of the primary media bridge connection is unsatisfactory, switching from the primary media bridge connection to the secondary media bridge connection without interrupting the communication session between the first network device and the second network device.