Method and system for providing redundancy within a network element

A method of failure recovery in a network element comprising:

• selecting a first link, said first link coupling a first interface unit and a first processing unit;
• selecting a second link, said second link coupling a second interface unit and a second processing unit;
• and
• upon a failure in said first processing unit,
• selecting a first standby link, said first standby link coupling said first interface unit and said second processing unit, and
• selecting a second standby link, said second standby link coupling said second interface unit and a standby processing unit.

A network element comprising:

• a first and a second interface unit;
• a first and a second link;
• a first and a second standby link;
• a first, a second and a standby processing unit, wherein
• said first interface unit and said first processing unit are coupled to one another by said first link,
• said second interface unit and said second processing unit are coupled to one another by said second link,
• said first interface unit and said second processing unit are coupled to one another by said first standby link, and
• said second interface unit and said standby processing unit are coupled to one another by said second standby link;
• a route processor, coupled to control said first and said second interface units, and said first, said second and said standby processing units;
• computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium is coupled to at least one of said route processor, said first processing unit, said second processing unit and said standby processing unit;
• and
• computer code, encoded in said computer readable medium, configured to:
• select said first link;
• select said second link;
• and
• to, upon a failure in said first processing unit,
• select said first standby link, and
• select said second standby link.

A computer program product comprising:

• a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to select a first link, said first link coupling a first interface unit and a first processing unit;
• a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to select a second link, said second link coupling a second interface unit and a second processing unit;
• a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to, upon a failure in said first processing unit,
• select a first standby link, said first standby link coupling said first interface unit and said second processing unit, and
• select a second standby link, said second standby link coupling said second interface unit and a standby processing unit;
• and
• computer readable media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable media.

An apparatus for failure recovery in a network element comprising:

• means for selecting a first link, said first link coupling a first interface unit and a first processing unit;
• means for selecting a second link, said second link coupling a second interface unit and a second processing unit;
• means for selecting a first standby link, said first standby link coupling said first interface unit and said second processing unit, upon a failure in said first processing unit;
• and
• means for selecting a second standby link, said second standby link coupling said second interface unit and a standby processing unit, upon said failure.