US 7,792,016 B2 · Network relay device for relaying data in a network and control method for the same

Abstract

In the case of detection of failure on a direct link interconnecting Master and Backup upstream switches, a control module of the Master upstream switch sends a partial failure message representing the occurrence of partial failure in the Master upstream switch via any of multiple lines connected to multiple ports of the Master upstream switch to the Backup upstream switch. Upon reception of the partial failure message from the Master upstream switch, a control module of the Backup upstream switch identifies partial failure occurring in the Master upstream switch and keeps the Backup operating status of the Backup upstream switch. Upon no reception of the partial failure message from the Master upstream switch, on the other hand, the control module of the Backup upstream switch identifies total failure occurring in the Master upstream switch and switches over the operating status of the Backup upstream switch from Backup to Master. In the event of failure occurring in the Master upstream switch, this arrangement effectively prevents unintentional interruption of data communication but ensures normal data communication in a network without causing the double-master state and the control loop in the network.

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Drawings

Claims4

Dependent claims

A network relay device that has a direct link and multiple ports, and works to relay data in a network, in combination with at least one specific network device among multiple network devices linked to the multiple ports via multiple lines,

the network relay device comprising:
a control module that receives and sends control messages from and to the specific network device via the direct link and switches over an operating status of the network relay device between master and backup;
and
a communication module that is under control of the control module and, in the master operating status of the network relay device, sets a connection status of the multiple lines connected with the multiple ports to logic connection to enable transmission of both messages and the data, while in the backup operating status of the network relay device, setting the connection status of the multiple lines connected with the multiple ports to logic disconnection to enable only transmission of messages but disable transmission of the data,
in the case of detection of failure on the direct link in the backup operating status of the network relay device, the control module verifying reception of a partial failure message representing occurrence of partial failure in the specific network device from the specific network device via any of the multiple lines linked to the multiple ports and identifying partial failure occurring in the specific network device,
wherein upon identification of the partial failure occurring in the specific network device, the control module sends a switchover message to the specific network device to urge a switchover of an operating status of the specific network device from master to backup via a line connected to a port receiving the partial failure message, receives a return message from the specific network device, and switches over the operating status of the network relay device from backup to master.

3 more elements

An upstream network relay device that has a direct link and multiple ports, and works to relay data in a network, in combination with at least one specific upstream network device among multiple network devices linked to the multiple ports via multiple lines,

the upstream network relay device comprising:
a control module that receives and sends control messages from and to the specific upstream network device via the direct link and switches over an operating status of the network relay device between master and backup;
and
a communication module that is under control of the control module and, in the master operating status of the upstream network relay device, sets a connection status of the multiple lines connected with the multiple ports to logic connection to enable transmission of both messages and the data, while in the backup operating status of the upstream network relay device, setting the connection status of the multiple lines connected with the multiple ports to logic disconnection to enable only transmission of messages but disable transmission of the data,
in the backup operating status of the upstream network relay device, the control module identifying each type of the multiple downstream network devices linked to the multiple ports via the multiple lines as either of a first downstream network device with a failure detection function of detecting failure occurring in the specific network device and a second downstream network device without the failure detection function and specifying number of the identified first downstream network devices and number of the identified second downstream network devices,
in the case of detection of failure on the direct link under the condition that the specified number of the second downstream network devices is equal to zero, the control module verifying reception of a failure occurrence message representing occurrence of failure in the specific upstream network device from all the specified number of the identified first downstream network devices via respective lines connected to relevant ports and identifying total failure occurring in the specific upstream network device.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description12,472 words

Summary4,242 words

#The present application claims priority from Japanese application JP2005-242001 filed on Aug. 24, 2005, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a network relay device that relays data in a network.

Brief description of the drawings11 figures

#FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the construction of an L2 switch in one embodiment of the invention;

#FIG. 2 shows a network with L2 switches of FIG. 1;

#FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a failure action control process executed by a Backup upstream switch in the configuration of a first embodiment;

Detailed description8,018 words

#Some modes of carrying out the invention are described below as preferred embodiments in the following sequence. The invention is, however, not restricted to the following embodiments or their applications but may be modified, changed, and altered arbitrarily within the scope or spirit of the main characteristics of the present invention.

#A. Configuration of Device

#B. Operations of Device B-1. First Embodiment B-2. Second Embodiment B-3. Third Embodiment

Facts

Application

11/366,837Filed 3 Mar 2006

Priority

JP 2005-24200124 Aug 2005

Published

US 2007/0047436 A11 Mar 2007

Granted

7 Sep 2010

Term ends

24 May 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 813 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

H04L 49/557
Prevention, detection or correction of errors: error correction, e.g. fault recovery or fault tolerance
H04L 49/351
Switches specially adapted for specific applications: for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
H04L 49/552
Prevention, detection or correction of errors: by ensuring the integrity of packets received through redundant connections
H04L 69/40
Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass: for…

Timeline

24 Aug 2005Priority claimedJP 2005-242001
3 Mar 2006Application filedUS 11/366,837
26 May 2006Assigned to Alaxala Networks Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
1 Mar 2007PublishedUS 2007/0047436 A1
7 Sep 2010GrantedUS 7,792,016 B2
22 Jul 2026Assigned to Alaxala Networks Corporationchange of address
22 Jul 2026Assigned to Fortinet, Inc.nunc pro tunc assignment
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
24 May 2028Term endsEstimated, includes 813 days of adjustment

Network relay device for relaying data in a network and control method for the same

Life of this patent

Network relay device for relaying data in a network and control method for the same

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims4

Description12,472 words

Drawings

Description12,472 words

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent