# US 2014/0192635 A1 · Start-up delay for event-driven virtual link aggregation

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- Number: US 2014/0192635 A1
- Document ID: US20140192635A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/734,654
- Filed: 2013-01-04
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Lei Bao; Gangadhar Hariharan; Tamanna Z. Sait; Venkatesan Selvaraj
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192635A1

## CPC

- H04L 41/0654: using network fault recovery (ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437)
- H04L 45/245: {Link aggregation, e.g. trunking}
- Y02D 30/50: in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- Y02D: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THEIR OWN ENERGY USE

## Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to virtual link aggregation. One embodiment includes a system including a first aggregation switch. A second aggregation switch is connected to the first aggregation switch with a first link. An access switch is connected to the first aggregation switch with a second link and the second aggregation switch with a third link. The first access switch establishes a first virtual link with the first aggregation switch and the second aggregation switch. A first detection module is connected with the first aggregation switch. The first detection module maintains multiple networking ports in a first disabled state, determines a link-status of the first link, and activates a first event upon the determination of a first status indication for the first link, and switches at least one of the multiple networking ports to a first enabled state upon detecting the first event.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-9. (canceled)

### Claim at position 2

10: A virtual aggregation link system comprising:
a first aggregation switch;
a second aggregation switch coupled to the first aggregation switch with a first link; and
at least one access switch coupled to the first aggregation switch with a second link and the second aggregation switch with a third link, the first access switch establishes a first virtual link with each one of the first aggregation switch and the second aggregation switch;
a first detection module coupled with the first aggregation switch, wherein the first detection module maintains a first plurality of networking ports in a first disabled state, determines a link-status of the first link, and activates a first event upon the determination of a first status indication for the first link, and switches at least one of the first plurality of networking ports to a first enabled state upon detecting the first event.

### Claim at position 3 (depends on 10)

11: The system of claim 10, wherein the first status indication comprises a first up-state status that indicates the first networking element is able to communicate with the second networking element via the first link.

### Claim at position 4 (depends on 11)

12: The system of claim 11, wherein the link-status further comprises a first down-state status that indicates the first networking element is not able to communicate to the second networking element via the first link.

### Claim at position 5 (depends on 12)

13: The system of claim 12, further comprising:
a third networking element coupled to the first networking element using a second link, wherein the third networking element includes a third plurality of networking ports, and a third link couples the second networking element to the third networking; and
a first virtual link established between the third networking element and each one of the first networking element and the second networking element using the third and second links.

### Claim at position 6 (depends on 10)

14: The system of claim 10, wherein the first event is activated based at least in part on a first delay value.

### Claim at position 7 (depends on 14)

15: The system of claim 14, further comprising:
a second detection module coupled with the second aggregation switch, wherein the second detection module maintains the second plurality of networking ports in the first disabled state, determines the link-status of the first link, and activates the first event upon the determination of the first status indication for the first link.

### Claim at position 8

16: A non-transitory computer-useable storage medium for virtual link aggregation, the computer-useable storage medium having a computer-readable program, wherein the program upon being processed on a computer causes the computer to implement:
coupling a first networking system to a second networking system using a first link, wherein the first networking system includes a first plurality of networking ports, and the second networking system includes a second plurality of networking ports;
rebooting the first networking system;
maintaining the first plurality of networking ports in a first disabled state;
determining a link-status of the first link, wherein the link-status includes a first up-state to indicate that the first networking system is able to communicate with the second networking system via the first link, and a first down-state to indicate that the first networking system is not able to communicate to the second networking system via the first link;
activating a first event upon the determination of a first up-state; and
switching at least one of the first plurality of networking ports to a first enabled state upon detecting the first event.

### Claim at position 9 (depends on 16)

17: The program of claim 16, coupling the first networking system to a third networking system using a second link, wherein the third networking system includes a third plurality of networking ports;
coupling the second networking system to the third networking system using a third link; and
establishing a first virtual link between the third networking system and each one of the first networking system and the second networking system using the third and second links.

### Claim at position 10 (depends on 16)

18: The program of claim 16, wherein the activating of the first event is based at least in part on a first programmable delay value.

### Claim at position 11 (depends on 19)

19: The program of claim 19, further causing the computer to implement:
switching at least one of the first plurality of networking ports to a disabled state upon detecting a port operation, and upon expiration of the first programmable delay value after detecting the port operation, the at least one of the first plurality of networking ports remains in the disabled state;
switching at least one of the first plurality of networking ports to an errdisabled state upon detecting a first trunk operation and the at least one port was previously in an enabled state;
switching at least one of the first plurality of networking ports to an up state or a down state upon detecting a second trunk operation and the at least one port was previously in an errdisabled state;
maintaining a state of at least one of the first plurality of networking ports upon detecting a first link failure, and upon expiration of the first programmable delay value after detecting the first link failure, all of the first plurality of networking ports in an errdisabled state change to an enabled state; and
maintaining a state of at least one of the first plurality and the second plurality of networking ports upon detecting the first link failure and a health-check failure, and upon expiration of the first programmable delay value after detecting the first link failure and the health-check failure, all of the first plurality and second plurality of networking ports in an errdisabled state change to an enabled state.