Procedures, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for operating primary and backup network elements
View Patent ↗Procedures, apparatuses, systems, and computer-readable media for operating primary and backup network elements (NEs). The procedure for operating the primary NE includes determining a failure in a primary path in which the primary NE is interposed. A switch-over notification message is provided via an inter-chassis communication link to a backup NE. At least one status synchronization message is communicated with at least one of the backup NE via the inter-chassis communication link and a head-end NE in accordance with a standardized protection switching protocol. The procedure for operating the backup NE includes receiving the switch-over notification message, indicating failure in a primary path, via the inter-chassis communication link. A status synchronization message is provided in accordance with the standardized protection switching protocol to a head-end NE to establish communication with the head-end NE via a secondary path.
1. A procedure for operating a primary backup network element (“NE”), comprising:
receiving a switch-over notification message, indicating failure in a primary path, via an inter-chassis communication link;
providing a status synchronization message in accordance with a standardized protection switching protocol to a head-end NE to establish communication with the head-end NE via a secondary path;
forwarding a recovery status synchronization message to a primary NE, in response to reception of the recovery status synchronization message indicating that the primary path has recovered; and
forwarding a further status synchronization message to the head-end NE, in response to reception of the further status synchronization message from the primary NE indicating that the primary NE is enabled.
2. The procedure of claim 1 , wherein the primary path is a logical Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) path of a Virtual Private Local Area Network Service (VPLS) network.
3. The procedure of claim 2 , wherein the standardized protection switching protocol is the G.8031 Ethernet Protection Switching protocol under International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) standard for failover, and communication via the inter-chassis communication link is performed in accordance with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Inter-Chassis Communication Protocol (ICCP).
4. The procedure of claim 2 , further comprising, in response to receipt of the switch-over notification message, providing at least one of a media access control (“MAC”) flush message and a status synchronization message indicating that the backup NE is enabled.
5. The procedure of claim 1 , wherein the primary path is enabled in accordance with the standardized protection switching protocol.
6. A backup network element (“NE”) comprising:
at least one computer-readable memory configured to store program instructions; and
at least one processor operating under control of the program instructions to receive a switch-over notification message, indicating failure in a primary path, via an inter-chassis communication link, and
provide a status synchronization message in accordance with a standardized protection switching protocol to a head-end NE to establish communication with the head-end NE via a secondary path,
wherein the at least one processor also operates under control of the program instructions to
forward a recovery status synchronization message to a primary NE, in response to reception of the recovery status synchronization message indicating that a primary path has recovered, and
forward a further status synchronization message to the head-end NE, in response to reception of the further status synchronization message from the primary NE indicating that the primary NE is enabled.
7. The backup network element of claim 6 , wherein the primary path is a logical Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) path of a Virtual Private Local Area Network Service (VPLS) network.
8. The backup network element of claim 7 , wherein the standardized protection switching protocol is the G.8031 Ethernet Protection Switching protocol under International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) standard for failover, and communication via the inter-chassis communication link is performed in accordance with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Inter-Chassis Communication Protocol (ICCP).
9. The backup network element of claim 8 , wherein communicating via the inter-chassis communication link in accordance with ICCP includes communication of at least one of configuration information, network information, and information in G.8031 messages.
10. The backup network element of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor also operates under control of the program instructions to
provide information, received via the inter-chassis communication link, to the head-end NE in at least one G.8031 message; and
provide, via the inter-chassis communication link, information in G.8031 messages received from the head-end NE.