System and method for managing network traffic load upon outage of a network node

1. A method operable on a mobile node that is usable in a wireless packet data network, the method comprising:

receiving a session termination message transmitted by a first network node to all mobile nodes being served by the first network node upon the first network node encountering an outage-causing condition;

responsive to receiving said session termination message delaying generation of an initial data session reconnect request, wherein said delaying is modulated based on randomized delay and said mobile node is operable to configure a suitable upper limit on said randomized delay, said suitable upper limit depending on network load statistics and traffic management history and being optimized for a certain number of data connections, the certain number being one of: the total number of data connections that are released, a minimum number of data connections that can be released or a maximum number of data connections that can be released; and

after said delaying, generating a reconnect request towards a data interface operable in the wireless packet data network, wherein the data interface is operable to negotiate a data connection between the mobile node and a second network node.

2. The method of managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 1 , wherein said outage-causing condition comprises at least one of a power failure, a race condition experienced by service logic of said first network node, a manual reset, and an automatic shutdown.

3. The method of managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 1 , wherein said randomized delay is based on generating a random time variable.

4. The method of managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first and second network nodes comprise a Packet Data Serving Node (PDSN) and said respective data connections are operable to effectuate Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) sessions with respect to said mobile node.

5. The method of managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first and second network nodes comprise a Gateway GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Support Node (GGSN) and said respective data connections are operable to effectuate Packet Data Protocol (PDP) sessions with respect to said mobile node.

6. The method of managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first network node transmits information pertaining to said total number of data connections being released to said mobile node.

7. A method of managing network traffic load upon outage of a first network node disposed in a wireless packet data network, wherein said first network node is adapted to serve a plurality of mobile nodes using respective data connections, comprising:

receiving a session termination message by a mobile node pursuant to said first network node releasing said mobile node's data connection upon encountering an outage-causing condition at said first network node and transmitting said session termination message to all mobile nodes being served by said first network node;

responsive to receiving said session termination message, delaying generation of an initial data session reconnect request by said mobile node, wherein said delaying is modulated based on generating a random time variable by said mobile node and said mobile node is operable to configure a suitable upper limit on said random time variable, said suitable upper limit depending on network load statistics and traffic management history and being optimized for a certain number of data connections being released, said certain number being one of: the total number of data connections that are released, a minimum number of data connections that can be released or a maximum number of data connections that can be released; and

after said delaying, said mobile node generating a reconnect request towards a data interface operable in the wireless packet data network, wherein said data interface is operable to determine that said first network node is not available and negotiate a data connection between said mobile node and a second network node.

8. The method of managing network traffic load upon outage of a network node disposed in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 7 , wherein said outage-causing condition comprises at least one of a power failure, a race condition experienced by service logic of said first network node, a manual reset, and an automatic shutdown.

9. The method of managing network traffic load upon outage of a network node disposed in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 7 , further comprising said mobile node receiving information pertaining to said total number of data connections being released by said first network node.

10. An apparatus for managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network, wherein a first network node is adapted to serve a plurality of mobile nodes using respective data connections, comprising:

means associated with a mobile node for receiving a session termination message pursuant to said first network node releasing said mobile node's data connection upon encountering an outage-causing condition at said first network node and transmitting said session termination message to all mobile nodes being served by said first network node;

means associated with said mobile node, operable responsive to receiving said session termination message, for delaying generation of an initial data session reconnect request by said mobile node, wherein said delaying is modulated based on generating a random time variable by said mobile node and said means for delaying generation is operable to configure a suitable upper limit on said random time variable, said suitable upper limit depending on network load statistics and traffic management history and being optimized for a certain number of data connections, the certain number being one of: the total number of data connections that are released, a minimum number of data connections that can be released or a maximum number of data connections that can be released; and

means associated with said mobile node, operable responsive to said delaying, for generating a reconnect request to data interface operable in said wireless packet data network for determining that said first network node is not available and negotiating a data connection between said mobile node and a second network node.

11. The apparatus for managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 10 , wherein said random time variable is modulated based on a total number of data connections being released by said first network node.

12. The apparatus for managing network traffic load in a wireless packet data network as recited in claim 11 , wherein said mobile node receives information pertaining to said total number of data connections being released by said first network node.

13. A mobile node operable in a wireless packet data network, comprising:

a logic structure adapted for processing a session termination message that is transmitted by a first network node to all mobile nodes being served by the first network node upon encountering an outage-causing condition at said first network node;

a logic structure, operable responsive to processing said session termination message, for delaying generation of an initial data session reconnect request by said mobile node, wherein said delaying is modulated based on generating a random time variable by said mobile node and said logic structure for delaying generation is operable to configure a suitable upper limit on said random time variable, said suitable upper limit depending on network load statistics and traffic management history and being optimized for a certain number of data connections, the certain number being one of: the total number of data connections that are released, a minimum number of data connections that can be released or a maximum number of data connections that can be released; and

a logic structure operable to generate a reconnect request to a data interface operable within said wireless packet data network after said delaying, said data interface operable to determine that said first network node is not available and negotiate a data connection between said mobile node and a second network node.

14. The mobile node as recited in claim 13 , wherein said mobile node receives information pertaining to said total number of data connections being released by said first network node.