Method and system for four-path parallel redundancy protocol in connected networks

1 . A data communication system configured to establish independent network paths through the data communication system, wherein the data communication system comprising:

at least a first network and a second network operated in parallel;

a first node comprising a first node interface, wherein the first node interface is associated with a plurality of first network addresses; and

a second node comprising a second node interface, wherein the second node interface is associated with a plurality of second network addresses,

wherein the first node interface is connected to the second node interface over the first network,

wherein the first node interface is connected to the second node interface over the second network,

wherein when the first node interface is arranged to send data packaged in a data packet frame to the second node interface, the first node interface is configured to:

duplicate the data packet frame into a plurality of alternate data packet frames,

wherein to duplicate the data packet frame into the plurality of alternate data packet frames, the first node interface is configured to:

determine if a source network address and a destination network address in the data packet frame are in the first network or the second network;

generate at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame, and a third alternate data packet frame, based on the determination that the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame are in the first network;

reassign a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassign another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassign another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

send the data packet frame via the first network, the first alternate data packet frame via the second network, the second alternate data packet frame via the second network and the third alternate data packet frame via the first network.

2 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first node interface is connected to a first network switch, the first network switch connected to the second node interface over the first network; and

the first node interface is connected to a second network switch, the second network switch connected to the second node interface over the second network.

3 . The data communication system of claim 2 , wherein the first network switch and the second network switch are interconnected, and the plurality of first network addresses and the plurality of second network addresses are communicated and shared with the second node interface and the first node interface, respectively, using the first and second network switches.

4 . The data communication system of claim 3 , wherein the first node interface and the second node interface decide which of the plurality of first network addresses or the plurality of second network addresses are to be used for sending and receiving data via the first network and the second network using a partner address table, the partner address table comprising the plurality of first network addresses and the plurality of second network addresses for the first node interface and the second node interface, respectively.

5 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first and the second node interfaces are each a doubly attached node obeying to a parallel redundant protocol standard.

6 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of second network addresses is not equivalent to each of the plurality of first network addresses.

7 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first node interface is further configured to:

on determining the source network address in the data packet frame is the first network and the destination network address in the data packet frame is in the second network, generate at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame;

reassign a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassign a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassign another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address and another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

send the data packet frame via the first network, the first alternate data packet frame via the second network, the second alternate data packet frame via the first network and the third alternate data packet frame via the second network.

8 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first node interface is configured to:

on determining the source network address in the data packet frame is the second network and the destination network address in the data packet frame is in the first network, generate at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame;

reassign a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassign another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassign another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

send the data packet frame via the second network, the first alternate data packet frame via the first network, the second alternate data packet frame via the first network and the third alternate data packet frame via the second network.

9 . The data communication system of claim 1 , wherein the first node interface is configured to:

determine if the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame originate in the first network or the second network;

on determining the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame originate from the second network, generate at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame;

reassign a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassign another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassign another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

send the data packet frame via the second network, the first alternate data packet frame via the first network, the second alternate data packet frame via the second network and the third alternate data packet frame via the first network.

10 . A method establishing independent network paths through a data communication system, the data communication system comprising at least a first network and a second network, the method comprising:

configuring a first node interface of a first node to send data packaged in a data packet frame to a second node interface of a second node,

wherein the first node interface is associated with a plurality of first network addresses and the second node interface is associated with a plurality of second network addresses, and

wherein the first node interface is connected to the second node interface over a first network and a second network;

duplicating, by the first node, the data packet frame into a plurality of alternate data packet frames, wherein duplicating the data packet frame into the plurality of alternate data packet frames comprises:

determining if a source network address and a destination network address in the data packet frame originate from the first network or the second network;

generating at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame, based on the determination that the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame originate from the first network;

reassigning a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassigning another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassigning another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

sending, by the first node interface, the data packet frame via the first network, the first alternate data packet frame via the second network, the second alternate data packet frame via the second network and the third alternate data packet frame via the first network.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

connecting the first node interface to a first network switch, the first network switch connected to the second node interface over the first network; and

connecting the first node interface to a second network switch, the second network switch connected to the second node interface over the second network.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first network switch and the second network switch are interconnected, the method further comprising:

sharing the plurality of first network addresses and the plurality of second network addresses with the second node interface and the first node interface, respectively, using the first and second network switches.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein sending, by the first node interface, the data packet frame and each of the plurality of alternate data packet frames from the first node interface to the second node interface further comprises:

deciding by the first node interface and the second node interface using a partner address table which of the plurality of first network addresses or the plurality of second network addresses are to be used for sending and receiving data via the first network or the second network, wherein the partner address table maintains the plurality of first network addresses and the plurality of second network addresses for the first node interface and the second node interface, respectively.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the first and the second node interfaces operate as doubly attached nodes obeying a parallel redundant protocol standard.

15 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

on determining the source network address in the data packet frame is the first network and the destination network address in the data packet frame originate in the second network, generating at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame;

reassigning a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassigning a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassigning another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address and another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

sending the data packet frame via the first network, the first alternate data packet frame via the second network, the second alternate data packet frame via the first network and the third alternate data packet frame via the second network.

16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

determining if the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame originate in the first network or the second network;

on determining the source network address in the data packet frame originates in the second network and the destination network address in the data packet frame originates in the first network, generating at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame;

reassigning a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassigning another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the first network as the source network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassigning another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

sending the data packet frame via the second network, the first alternate data packet frame via the first network, the second alternate data packet frame via the first network and the third alternate data packet frame via the second network.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause at least one processing device to:

configure a first node interface of a first node to send data packaged in a data packet frame to a second node interface of a second node,

wherein the first node interface is associated with a plurality of first network addresses and the second node interface is associated with a plurality of second network addresses, and

wherein the first node interface is connected to the second node interface over a first network and a second network;

duplicate, by the first node, the data packet frame into a plurality of alternate data packet frames, wherein to duplicate the data packet frame into the plurality of alternate data packet frames, the first node interface is configured to:

determine if a source network address and a destination network address in the data packet frame are in the first network or the second network;

generate at least a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame, and a third alternate data packet frame, based on the determination that the source network address and the destination network address in the data packet frame are in the first network;

reassign a first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address and a second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the first alternate data packet frame;

reassign another first network address of the plurality of first network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the source network address for the second alternate data packet frame;

reassign another second network address of the plurality of second network addresses that corresponds to the second network as the destination network address for the third alternate data packet frame; and

send the data packet frame via the first network, the first alternate data packet frame via the second network, the second alternate data packet frame via the second network and the third alternate data packet frame via the first network.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of alternate data packet frames comprise a first alternate data packet frame, a second alternate data packet frame and a third alternate data packet frame.