HANDLING STACKING LINK FAILURES IN MDC DEVICE

1 : A method for a first part of a non-default multitenant device context (MDC) device on a first member device of a logical network device, comprising:

assigning a first downlink port of the first part of the non-default MDC device to a first downlink port group;

assigning a first uplink port of the first part of the non-default MDC device to a first uplink port group associated with the first downlink port group;

monitoring a stacking port of the first part of the non-default MDC device connected to a second part of the non-default MDC device on a second member device of the logical network device;

when the stacking port changes to a down state, determining if the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are both in an up state;

when the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are both in the up state, maintaining ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group in the up state; and

when the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are not both in the up state, making changes so the ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are in the down state.

2 : The method of claim 1 , wherein a port group is in the up state when all ports in that port group are in the up state.

3 : The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the stacking port recovers to the up state:

making changes so ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are in the up state.

4 : The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

assigning a second downlink port of the first part of the non-default MDC device to a second downlink port group; and

when the stacking port changes to the down state:

determining there is no uplink port associated with any port in the second downlink port group; and

making changes so ports in the second downlink port group are in the down state.

5 : The method of claim 4 , further comprising, when the stacking port recovers to the up state:

making changes so ports in the first downlink port group, the first uplink port group, and the second downlink port group are in the up state.

6 : The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the logical network device is virtualized into a default MDC device and at least the non-default MDC device;

at least one of downlink aggregation and uplink aggregation being applied to non-default MDC device;

the default MDC device shares a default MDC stacking link with the non-default MDC device;

the non-default MDC device uses the default MDC stacking link as a control link;

the non-default MDC device uses a non-default MDC stacking link connected to the stacking port as a data link; and

the first part of the non-default MDC device prefers to forward traffic on its side of the non-default MDC device.

7 : A member device of a logical network device to form a part of a non-default multitenant device context (MDC) device, the member device comprising:

a configuring unit to:

assign a first downlink port of the part of the non-default MDC device to a first downlink port group; and

assign a first uplink port of the part of the non-default MDC device to a first uplink port group associated with the first downlink port group;

a monitoring unit to monitor a stacking port of the part of the non-default MDC device;

a determining unit to determine if the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are both in the up state when the monitoring unit detects that the stacking port changed to the down state, wherein a port group is up when all ports in that port group are up and otherwise the port group is down; and

a processing unit to:

when the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are both in the up state, maintain ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group in the up state; and

when the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are not both in the up state, make changes so the ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are in the down state.

8 : The member device of claim 7 , wherein port group is in the up state when all ports in that port group are in the up state.

9 : The member device of claim 7 , wherein:

the monitoring unit is further to detect that the stacking port has recovered to the up state; and

when the monitoring unit detects that the stacking port has recovered to the up state, the processing unit is further to make changes so ports in the first downlink port group and the first uplink port group are in the up state.

10 : The member device of claim 7 , wherein:

the configuring unit is further to assign a second downlink port of the part of the non-default MDC device to a second downlink port group; and

the processing unit is further to, when the monitoring unit detects that the stacking port changed to the down state:

determine there is no uplink port associated with any port in the second downlink port group; and

make changes so ports in the second downlink port group are in the down state.

11 : The member device of claim 10 , wherein:

the monitoring unit is further to detect that the stacking port has recovered to the up state; and

when the monitoring unit detects that the stacking port has recovered to the up state, the processing unit is further to make changes so ports in the first downlink port group, the first uplink port group, and the second downlink port group are in the up state.

12 : The member device of clam 7 , wherein:

the logical network device is virtualized into a default MDC device and at least the non-default MDC device;

at least one of downlink aggregation and uplink aggregation being applied to the non-default MDC device;

the default MDC device shares a default MDC stacking link with the non-default MDC device;

the non-default MDC device uses the default MDC stacking link as a control link;

the non-default MDC device uses a non-default MDC stacking link connected to the stacking port as a data link; and

the part of the non-default MDC device prefers to forward traffic on its side of the non-default MDC device.

13 : A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with executable instructions for execution by a processor to:

monitor a stacking port of a part of a logical network device, the stacking port connecting the part of the logical network device to another part of the logical network device; and

when the stacking port changes to a down state, change or maintain states of associated downlink and uplink ports of the part of the logical network device based on the states of the associated downlink and uplink ports, the associated downlink and uplink ports connecting the part of the logical network device to downstream and upstream networks.

14 : The medium of claim 13 , wherein the processor is to maintain the states of the associated downlink and uplink ports when all the downlink and the uplink ports are in the up state.

15 : The medium of claim 13 , further comprising executable instructions for execution by the processor to:

when the stacking port changes to a down state, change states of downlink ports on the part of the logical network device that does not have any associated uplink ports.