Maintenance of overlay networks
AssigneeTelefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
InventorJouni Maenpaa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of managing a ring-based overlay network that is configured to allow routing of messages across an underlying IP network to destinations not specified by an IP address. The method comprises firstly sending a probe message from an initiating node of the overlay network around the ring, with each peer node forwarding the probe message to a successor or predecessor node. Upon detection of a forwarding failure at a node of the ring, a Probe error message is sent from that node to the initiating node. The initiating node represents the final destination for the Probe message.
Claims18
A method of managing a ring-based overlay network configured to allow routing of messages across an underlying IP network to destinations not specified by an IP address, the method comprising:
- sending a Probe message from an initiating node of the overlay network around the ring, with each peer node forwarding the Probe message to a next hop successor or predecessor node such that, in the absence of a partition failure within the network, the Probe message is returned to the initiating node, wherein sending the Probe message comprises:
- simultaneously or alternately sending a first Probe message from the initiating node around the overlay network in a first direction and sending a second Probe message from the initiating node around the overlay network in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- in response to detection at a given node in the ring of a forwarding failure, sending a probe error message from that given node to the initiating node;
- and
- responsive to receipt of the probe error message at the initiating node when the probe error message indicates that a disconnect has arisen in the overlay network, initiating connection of two nodes at respective immediately-neighboring starting points of a disconnected section of the overlay network to reconnect the overlay network.
Apparatus configured to operate in a ring-based overlay network for routing messages across an underlying IP network to destinations not specified by an IP address, the apparatus comprising:
- a sending unit configured to send a Probe message for onward transmission around the overlay network for return to the apparatus in the absence of any partition failure within the network, wherein said sending unit is configured to simultaneously or alternately send a first Probe message in a first direction around the overlay network and send a second Probe message in a second direction opposite the first direction around the overlay network;
- a receiving unit configured to receive probe error messages from peer nodes within the overlay network that have received the Probe message and detected an error in the overlay network;
- and
- a processing unit configured to associate the received probe error messages with the sent Probe message, wherein when a probe error message indicates that a disconnect has arisen in the overlay network, the processing unit is further configured to respond to receipt of the probe error message at the apparatus by initiating connection of two nodes at respective immediately-neighboring starting points of a disconnected section of the overlay network to reconnect the overlay network.
Apparatus configured to operate in a ring-based overlay network for routing messages across an underlying IP network to destinations not specified by an IP address, the apparatus comprising:
- a receiving unit configured to receive a Probe message from a neighbouring node within the overlay network;
- a sending unit configured to attempt to forward the Probe message to a next hop neighbouring node to continue the direction of travel of the Probe message around the network, wherein said sending unit is configured to simultaneously or alternately send a first Probe message in a first direction around the overlay network and send a second Probe message in a second direction opposite the first direction around the overlay network;
- and
- a processing unit configured to detect an error in the Probe message forwarding process and, in response to detecting the error, to cause the sending unit to send a probe error message to an initiator node of the Probe message, wherein when the probe error message indicates that a disconnect has arisen in the overlay network, the processing unit is further configured to respond to receipt of an update message from the initiator node to initiate connection of the apparatus with an immediately-neighboring starting point of a disconnected section of the overlay network to reconnect the overlay network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.