US 9,426,022 B2 · SEA failover mechanism with minimized packet losses

Abstract

Provided are techniques for active SEA learning about a client LPAR MAC addresses via address resolution protocol (ARP) packets received on a virtual interface (of the active SEA). Any new client MAC addresses learned on the active SEA are sent to the inactive SEA via a control channel. When SEA failover happens, as the previously inactive SEA is about to become active, it will first send out RARP (reverse ARP) packets with the client MAC addresses as the source MAC addresses respectively. This effectively informs the switch connected to the previously inactive SEA that these client MAC addresses are to be routed through this switch port; the client MAC addresses saved on the switch connected to the previously active SEA are cleared as a result.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method, comprising:

receiving a first address resolution protocol (ARP) packet at a first shared Ethernet adapter (SEA) coupled to a first switch;
parsing, by the first SEA, a first MAC address corresponding to the first ARP packet;
transmitting, in response to receiving the first ARP packet, the first MAC address to a second SEA coupled to a second switch;
storing the first MAC address at the second SEA;
detecting that the first SEA has transitioned from a primary configuration to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned from a backup configuration to the primary configuration;
and
responsive to the detecting, transmitting a reverse ARP packet to the second switch coupled to the second SEA notifying, the second switch that the first SEA has transitioned to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned to an active configuration;
and
configuring the first switch to forward any subsequent packets to the second switch rather than the first SEA.

6 more elements

An apparatus, comprising;

a first shared Ethernet adapter (SEA);
a first switch coupled to the first SEA;
a second SEA;
a second switch coupled to the second SEA;
a processor;
a computer-readable storage medium ((CRSM) coupled to the processor;
and
logic, stored on the CRSM and executed on the processor, for;
receiving a first address resolution protocol (ARP) packet at the first shared Ethernet adapter (SEA);
parsing a first MAC address from the first ARP packet;
transmitting, in response to receiving the first ARP packet, the first MAC address to the second SEA;
storing the first MAC address at the second SEA;
detecting that the first SEA has transitioned from a primary configuration to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned from a backup configuration to the primary configuration;
and
responsive to the detecting, transmitting a reverse ARP packet to the second switch notifying the second switch that the first SEA has transitioned to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned to an active configuration;
and
configuring the first switch to forward any subsequent packets to the second switch rather than the first SEA.

14 more elements

A computer programming product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and
logic, stored on the computer-readable storage medium for execution on a processor, for:
receiving a first address resolution protocol (ARP) packet at a first shared Ethernet adapter (SEA) coupled to a first switch;
parsing, by the first SEA, a first MAC address from the first ARP packet;
transmitting, in response to receiving the first ARP packet, the first MAC address to a second SEA coupled to a second switch;
storing the first MAC address at the second SEA;
detecting that the first SEA has transitioned from a primary configuration to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned from a backup configuration to the primary configuration;
and
responsive to the detecting, transmitting a reverse ARP packet to the second switch coupled to the second SEA notifying the second switch that the first SEA has transitioned to an inactive configuration and that the second SEA has transitioned to an active configuration;
and
configuring the first switch to forward any subsequent packets to the second switch rather than the first SEA.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

SEA failover mechanism with minimized packet losses

Life of this patent

SEA failover mechanism with minimized packet losses

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20