Keep-alive technique in a network device
First Claim
1. A network device comprising:
- a database configured to store data for one or more keep-alive network sessions for the network device;
one or more processors executing a first virtual machine and a keep-alive subsystem process;
wherein the first virtual machine is configured to;
perform a set of functions to facilitate forwarding of data packets from the network device;
store information for a first keep-alive network session in the database, the information for the first keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the first keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session; and
store information for a second keep-alive network session to the database, the information for the second keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the second keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session; and
wherein the keep-alive subsystem process is configured to;
access the information for the first keep-alive network session from the database;
based at least in part on the time interval period for the first keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session from the network device;
access the information for the second keep-alive network session from the database; and
based at least in part on the information for the second keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session from the network device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network device may execute a software keep-alive process (SKAP) that enables the network device to continue to send keep-alive packets without interruption even during events such as a network operating system failover/switchover or an in-place system upgrade. The network device maintains a database of keep-alive network sessions storing information that is used to schedule and send keep-alive messages or packets for the keep-alive network sessions. The database may be shared between network operating subsystems and programs executed by the network device. The database may be updated by a network operating subsystem and the information may then be used by the SKAP to schedule and send out keep-alive messages or packets for the keep-alive network sessions. For example, a virtual machine may store information for a keep-alive network session in the database, which is used by SKAP to schedule transmission of keep-alive packets for that keep-alive network session.
39 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A network device comprising:
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a database configured to store data for one or more keep-alive network sessions for the network device; one or more processors executing a first virtual machine and a keep-alive subsystem process; wherein the first virtual machine is configured to; perform a set of functions to facilitate forwarding of data packets from the network device; store information for a first keep-alive network session in the database, the information for the first keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the first keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session; and store information for a second keep-alive network session to the database, the information for the second keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the second keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session; and wherein the keep-alive subsystem process is configured to; access the information for the first keep-alive network session from the database; based at least in part on the time interval period for the first keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session from the network device; access the information for the second keep-alive network session from the database; and based at least in part on the information for the second keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session from the network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising:
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executing, via a processor on a network device, a first virtual machine and a keep-alive subsystem process, wherein the first virtual machine is configured to; perform a set of functions to facilitate forwarding of data packets from the network device; store information for a first keep-alive network session in a database, the information for the first keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the first keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session; and store information for a second keep-alive network session to the database, the information for the second keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the second keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network; accessing, via the keep-alive subsystem process, the information for the first keep-alive network session from the database and the information for the second keep-alive network session from the database; based at least in part on the time interval period for the first keep-alive network session stored in the database, scheduling, via the keep-alive subsystem process, transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session from the network device; and based at least in part on the information for the second keep-alive network session stored in the database, scheduling, via the keep-alive subsystem process, transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session from the network device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to:
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execute, via a processor on a network device, a first virtual machine and a keep-alive subsystem process, wherein the first virtual machine is configured to; perform a set of functions to facilitate forwarding of data packets from a network device; store information for a first keep-alive network session in a database, the information for the first keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the first keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session; and store information for a second keep-alive network session to the database, the information for the second keep-alive network session including information identifying a keep-alive protocol for the second keep-alive network session and information identifying a time interval period for transmitting keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session, and; access, via the keep-alive subsystem process, the information for the first keep-alive network session from the database and the information for the second keep-alive network session from the database; based at least in part on the time interval period for the first keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule, via the keep-alive subsystem process, transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the first keep-alive network session from the network device; and based at least in part on the information for the second keep-alive network session stored in the database, schedule, via the keep-alive subsystem process, transmission of one or more keep-alive packets for the second keep-alive network session from the network device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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Specification