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US 2013/0279322 A1Published application
Hardware Based Convergence for a Ring Network
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorsKrishna Kumar VAVILALA, Stephen Patrick KOLECKI
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with an example embodiment, there is disclosed herein, an apparatus having first and second interfaces for communicating on a ring network. Upon receipt of a first signal on the first interface indicating a break in the ring, the apparatus stops forwarding packets onto the ring. Upon receipt of a second signal on the second port indicating a break in the ring, the apparatus forwards all packets destined for the ring network onto the ring network via both the first and second interfaces.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first interface for communicating with a ring network;
- a second interface for communicating with the ring network;
- a forwarding controller for selectively routing packets onto the ring network via the first interface, the second interface, or both the first and second interfaces;
- wherein in response to receiving a first broken ring indication signal indicating a broken link in the ring network via the first interface, the first interface communicates the first broken ring indication signal to the forwarding controller and the second interface, and forwarding onto the ring network stops in response to the first broken ring indication signal;
- wherein the second interface forwards the first broken ring indication signal onto the ring network;
- wherein in response to receiving a second broken ring indication signal for the broken link in the ring network via the second interface, the second interface communicates the second broken ring indication signal to the first interface and the forwarding controller;
- wherein forwarding of packets onto the ring network resumes responsive to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal;
- and
- wherein the forwarding controller replicates packets for the ring network and forwards the packets onto the ring network via the first interface and the second interface in response to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- receiving a first broken ring indication signal indicating a broken link in the ring network via a first interface;
- communicating the first broken ring indication signal to a forwarding controller and a second interface;
- halting forwarding of packets onto the ring network responsive to the first broken ring indication signal;
- forwarding the first broken ring indication signal onto the ring network via the second interface;
- receiving a second broken ring indication signal for the broken link in the ring network via the second interface;
- communicating the second broken ring indication signal to the first interface and the forwarding controller;
- resuming forwarding of packets onto the ring network responsive to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal;
- and
- replicating packets for the ring network and forwarding the packets onto the ring network via both the first interface and the second interface in response to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal.
6 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a first means for communicating with a first segment of a ring network;
- a second means for communicating with a second segment of a ring network;
- means for selectively forwarding packets to the first means for communicating, the second means for communicating, or both the first means for communicating and the second means for communicating;
- the first means for communicating in response to receiving a first broken ring indication signal indicating a broken link in the ring network communicates the first broken ring indication signal to the means for selectively forwarding and the second means for communicating, and forwarding onto the ring network stops in response to the first broken ring indication signal;
- wherein the second means for communicating forwards the first broken ring indication signal onto the ring network;
- the second means for communicating in response to receiving a second broken ring indication signal for the broken link in the ring network via the second interface, the second means for communicating communicates the second broken ring indication signal to the first means for communicating and the means for selectively forwarding;
- wherein forwarding of packets onto the ring network resumes responsive to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal;
- and
- the means for selectively forwarding replicates packets for the ring network and forwards the packets onto the ring network via the first means for communicating and the second means for communicating in response to receiving both the first broken ring indication signal and the second broken ring indication signal.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.