Protocol Definition for Software Bridge Failover

• US 20080225700A1
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vallabhaneni, Vasu, Nogueras, Jorge Rafael, Jain, Vinit, Vo, Patrick Tam
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone

Abstract

A method, data processing system, and computer usable code are provided for protocol definition for software bridge failover. In a first aspect of the present invention, a first software bridge determines the proper working operation of a physical adapter. Limbo packets are sent to a second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic responsive to the physical adapter failure in the first software bridge. The second software bridge receives the limbo packets, and, in response to receiving the limbo packets, asserts primary control and initiates bridging of traffic. In an alternative aspect of the present invention a first software bridge sends keep-alive packets. A second software bridge monitors the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge and, in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, the second software bridge initiates bridging of traffic.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a protocol definition for software bridge failover in a logical partition data processing system, the method comprising:

monitoring for a failure in a first software bridge; and

responsive to detecting the failure in the first software bridge, initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge in place of the first software bridge.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge is initiated by:

sending a limbo packet to the second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic;

receiving at the second software bridge the limbo packet; and

responsive to receiving the limbo packet at the second software bridge, initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge in place of the first software bridge.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the failure in the first software bridge is a physical adapter failure.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

asserting primary control by the second software bridge.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending keep-alive packets by the first software bridge;

monitoring for the keep-alive packets by the second software bridge; and

responsive to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge, initiating bridging of traffic by the second software bridge.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the keep-alive packet informs the second software bridge that the first software bridge is active and that failover is not necessary.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the keep-alive packets are protocol packets that are sent periodically and continuously on a control channel.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the keep-alive packet contains a priority value of the first software bridge.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

initializing the first software bridge;

monitoring for keep-alive packets on a control channel;

responsive to the failure to receive the keep-alive packets, asserting primary control by the first software bridge; and

initiating bridging of traffic by the first software bridge.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the keep-alive packets, determining if the keep-alive packet contains a priority value higher than a priority value associated with the first software bridge;

responsive to a higher priority value, asserting backup status by the first software bridge; and

monitoring the control channel by the first software bridge.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the keep-alive packets, determining if the keep-alive packet contains a priority value higher than a priority value associated with the first software bridge;

responsive to a lower priority value, asserting primary control by the first software bridge; and

initiating bridging of traffic by the first software bridge.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for a failure in the second software bridge; and

responsive detecting the failure in the second software bridge, initiating bridging of traffic by a third software bridge in place of the second software bridge.

13. A data processing system comprising:

a plurality of partitions;

a first software bridge; and

a second software bridge, wherein the first software bridge executes a set of instructions to monitor for a failure in the first software bridge and the second software bridge executes a set of instructions to initiate bridging of traffic for the plurality of partitions in place of the first software bridge responsive detecting the failure in the first software bridge.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the instructions executed by the second software bridge to initiate bridging of traffic by a second software bridge is initiated by the first software bridge executing a set of instructions to send a limbo packet to the second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic;

the second software bridge executing a set of instructions to receive at the second software bridge the limbo packet; and

the second software bridge executing a set of instructions to initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge in place of the first software bridge in response to receiving the limbo packet at the second software bridge.

15. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the first software bridge executing a set of instructions to send keep-alive packets by the first software bridge;

the second software bridge executing a set of instructions to monitor for the keep-alive packets by the second software bridge; and

the second software bridge executing a set of instructions to initiate bridging of traffic by the second software bridge in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge.

16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein the first software bridge executing a set of instructions to initialize the first software bridge;

monitor for keep-alive packets on a control channel;

assert primary control by the first software bridge responsive to the failure to receive the keep-alive packets; and

initiate bridging of traffic by the first software bridge.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for providing a protocol definition for software bridge failover in a logical partition data processing system, the computer program product including;

computer usable program code for monitoring for a failure in a first software bridge; and

computer usable program code for initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge in place of the first software bridge in response to detecting the failure in the first software bridge.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge is initiated by:

computer usable program code for sending a limbo packet to the second software bridge alerting the second software bridge that the first software bridge is no longer bridging traffic;

computer usable program code for receiving at the second software bridge the limbo packet; and

computer usable program code for initiating bridging of traffic by a second software bridge in place of the first software bridge in response to receiving the limbo packet at the second software bridge.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

computer usable program code for sending keep-alive packets by the first software bridge;

computer usable program code for monitoring for the keep-alive packets by the second software bridge; and

computer usable program code for initiating bridging of traffic by the second software bridge in response to a failure to detect the keep-alive packets from the first software bridge.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

computer usable program code for initializing the first software bridge;

computer usable program code for monitoring for keep-alive packets on a control channel;

computer usable program code for asserting primary control by the first software bridge in response to the failure to receive the keep-alive packets; and

computer usable program code for initiating bridging of traffic by the first software bridge.