Transmission control protocol (TCP) data handling

A computer program product for handling transmission control protocol (TCP) data between networked computer nodes during blackout periods associated with live kernel updating, the computer program product comprising at least one computer readable non-transitory storage medium having computer readable program instructions thereon for execution by a processor, the computer readable program instructions comprising program instructions for:

• initiating a live kernel update on a first node, wherein the live kernel update comprises performing a network blocking procedure;
• transmitting, prior to performing the network blocking procedure, a zero window update to one or more peer nodes;
• generating a surrogate partition associated with the first node;
• copying network states from an original partition associated with the first node to the surrogate partition;
• restoring the network states on the surrogate partition;
• and
• transmitting another window update to the one or more peer nodes.

A computer system for handling transmission control protocol (TCP) data between networked computer nodes during blackout periods associated with live kernel updating, the computer system comprising:

• at least one processing unit;
• at least one computer readable memory;
• at least one computer readable tangible, non-transitory storage medium;
• and program instructions stored on the at least one computer readable tangible, non-transitory storage medium for execution by the at least one processing unit via the at least one computer readable memory, wherein the program instructions comprise program instructions for:
• initiating a live kernel update on a first node, wherein the live kernel update comprises performing a network blocking procedure;
• transmitting, prior to performing the network blocking procedure, a zero window update to one or more peer nodes generating a surrogate partition associated with the first node;
• copying network states from an original partition associated with the first node to the surrogate partition;
• restoring the network states on the surrogate partition;
• and
• transmitting another window update to the one or more peer nodes.