IP Library Granted Patent US 9,268,656
Granted Patent B2
US 9,268,656 · App. 14/624,533 · Granted Feb 23, 2016

Routing of communications to one or more processors performing one or more services according to a load balancing function

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,268,656
App. No.
14/624,533
Granted
Feb 23, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for routing communications to a platform service are provided. A message including payload data is received. The information in the payload data of the message is examined in order to determine the type of message. The message is then relayed to an appropriate platform service based on the type of message. Some embodiments assign numbers to the packets that make up the message.

Claims (31)

1. A network appliance comprising:

a memory;

a processor, wherein the processor executing instructions out of memory determines that the network appliance is designated as a primary load balancer;

a first communication interface, wherein the first communication interface is dedicated to receiving communications from and transmitting communications to one or more other network appliances, the first communication interface receives configuration information, the configuration information received by the network appliance corresponds to a common configuration shared by the network appliance and the one or more other network appliances, and the first communication interface transmits status information to the one or more other network appliances and receives status information from the one or more other network appliances;

a second communication interface; and

a third communication interface, wherein a message is transmitted over the first communication indicating that a failure has been detected by the network appliance and includes a resignation message that is transmitted to the one or more other network appliances, wherein the resignation message indicates that the network appliance resigns as the primary load balancer.

2. The network appliance of claim 1 , wherein the failure is response from a first electronic device over the second communication interface to a message transmitted over the second communication interface to the first electronic device.

3. The network appliance of claim 1 , wherein the failure is detected by the network appliance when the network appliance does not receive a response from a second electronic device over the third communication interface to a message transmitted over the second communication interface to the second electronic device.

4. The network appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first communication interface is an Ethernet network interface.

5. A method for performing a load balancing service, the method comprising:

receiving configuration information over a first communication interface at a network appliance, wherein the network appliance is designated as a primary load balancer, and the first communication interface is dedicated to receiving communications from and transmitting communications to one or more other network appliances;

transmitting a first request over a second communication interface to a first electronic device;

transmitting a second request over a third communication interface to a second electronic device;

determining that a failure has occurred when at least one of a response to the first request is not received over the second communication interface, and a response to the second request is not received over the third communication interface; and

transmitting a resignation message to the one or more other network appliances over the first communication interface, wherein the resignation message indicates that the network appliance resigns as the primary load balancer.

6. The method claim 5 , wherein prior to resigning as the primary load balancer, the network appliance responds to communications addressing a virtual internet protocol (IP) address associated with the primary load balancer, and after resigning as the primary load balancer, the network appliance does not respond to communications addressing the virtual IP address of the primary load balancer.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the configuration information received by the network appliance corresponds to a common configuration shared by the one or more other network appliances.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first communication transmits status information to the one or more other network appliances, and receives status information from the one or more other network appliances.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first electronic device is a first computer network switch.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the second electronic device is a second computer network switch.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for performing a load balancing service, the method comprising:

receiving configuration information over a first communication interface at a network appliance, wherein the network appliance is designated as a primary load balancer, and the first communication interface is dedicated to receiving communications from and transmitting communications to one or more other network appliances;

transmitting a first request over a second communication interface to a first electronic device;

transmitting a second request over a third communication interface to a second electronic device;

determining that a failure has occurred when at least one of a response to the first request is not received over the second communication interface, and a response to the second request is not received over the third communication interface; and

transmitting a resignation message to the one or more other network appliances over the first communication interface, wherein the resignation message indicates that the network appliance resigns as the primary load balancer.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 11 , wherein prior to resigning as the primary load balancer, the network appliance responds to communications addressing a virtual internet protocol (IP) address associated with the primary load balancer, and after resigning as the primary load balancer, the network appliance does not respond to communications addressing the virtual IP address of the primary load balancer.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the configuration information received by the network appliance corresponds to a common configuration shared by the one or more other network appliances.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the first communication transmits status information to the one or more other network appliances, and receives status information from the one or more other network appliances.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the first electronic device is a first computer network switch.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the second electronic device is a second computer network switch.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT RF 046321/0393 Recorded Jun 16, 2025
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 071625/0887 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0414 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 7, 2018
From: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046321/0393 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT R/F 040581/0850 Recorded May 22, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 046211/0735 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 040587 FRAME: 0624. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Nov 28, 2017
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: QUEST SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A DELL SOFTWARE INC.); AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 044811/0598 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041072 FRAME: 235. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT. Recorded Apr 5, 2017
From: AVENTAIL LLC
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 042245/0523 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 23, 2017
From: AVENTAIL LLC
To: SONICWALL US HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041072/0235 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 10, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040587/0624 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 9, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040581/0850 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0467 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040039/0642) Recorded Oct 31, 2016
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
To: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
Reel/Frame 040521/0016 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040039/0642 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: AVENTAIL LLC; DELL PRODUCTS, L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040030/0187 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2015
From: HOPEN, CHRIS A.; TOMLINSON, GARY B.; BROOKE, JOHN; BROWN, DEREK W.; BURDGE, JONATHAN; ERICKSON, RODGER D.
To: AVENTAIL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 034976/0283 →
MERGER Recorded Feb 17, 2015
From: AVENTAIL CORPORATION
To: AVENTAIL LLC
Reel/Frame 034976/0291 →