IP Library Granted Patent US 11,729,045
Granted Patent B2
US 11,729,045 · App. 17/217,664 · Granted Aug 15, 2023

Aggregated networking device failover system

Inventors: Kannan Karuppiah (Fremont, CA); Udhaya Chandran Shanmugam (Santa Clara, CA)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H04L41/0654H04L61/50H04L2101/622
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,729,045
App. No.
17/217,664
Granted
Aug 15, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An aggregated networking device failover system includes an aggregation connected device coupled to first and second aggregated networking devices. The aggregation connected device receives a first aggregation communication from the first aggregated networking device that identifies its first MAC address as an actor MAC address, and a second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address. The aggregation connected device then associates the first and second MAC addresses with an aggregated link to the first and second aggregated networking devices. Subsequent to associating the first and second MAC addresses with the aggregated link, the aggregation connected device receives a second aggregation communication from the second aggregated networking device that identifies its second MAC address as an actor MAC address, and the aggregated link remains available in response to that second/actor MAC address being associated with the aggregated link.

Claims (75)

1. An aggregated networking device failover system, comprising:

a first aggregated networking device;

a second aggregated networking device that is aggregated with the first aggregated networking device; and

an aggregation connected device that is coupled to the first aggregated networking device and the second aggregated networking device, wherein the aggregation connected device is configured to:

receive, from the first aggregated networking device, a first aggregation communication that identifies:

a first Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

a second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address, wherein the second MAC address is different than the first MAC address;

associate the first MAC address and the second MAC address with an aggregated link to the first aggregated networking device and the second aggregated networking device; and

receive, from the second aggregated networking device subsequent to associating the first MAC address and the second MAC address with the aggregated link, a second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address, wherein the aggregated link remains available in response to the second MAC address that is identified as the actor MAC address being associated with the aggregated link.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation connected device is configured to:

transmit, to the first aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address of the aggregation connected device as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation connected device is configured to:

receive, from the second aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the aggregation connected device is configured to:

transmit, to the second aggregated networking device, a fourth aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address of the aggregation connected device as an actor MAC address; and

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first aggregation communication is a Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) communication, and wherein the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device is provided as the alternate actor MAC address in a Type-Length-Value (TLV) data structure in the LACP communication.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the aggregation connected device receives the second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address in response to an unavailability of the first aggregated networking device.

7. An Information Handling System (IHS), comprising:

a processing system; and

a memory system that is coupled to the processing system and that includes instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to provide an aggregation connected engine that is configured to:

receive, from a first aggregated networking device, a first aggregation communication that identifies:

a first Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

a second MAC address of a second aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address, wherein the second aggregated networking device is aggregated with the first aggregated networking device and the second MAC address is different than the first MAC address;

associate the first MAC address and the second MAC address with an aggregated link to the first aggregated networking device and the second aggregated networking device; and

receive, from the second aggregated networking device subsequent to associating the first MAC address and the second MAC address with the aggregated link, a second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address, wherein the aggregated link remains available in response to the second MAC address that is identified as the actor MAC address being associated with the aggregated link.

8. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the aggregation connected engine is configured to:

transmit, to the first aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address associated with the aggregation connected engine as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

9. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the aggregation connected engine is configured to:

receive, from the second aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address.

10. The IHS of claim 9 , wherein the aggregation connected engine is configured to:

transmit, to the second aggregated networking device, a fourth aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address associated with the aggregation connected engine as an actor MAC address; and

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

11. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the first aggregation communication is a Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) communication, and wherein the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device is provided as the alternate actor MAC address in a Type-Length-Value (TLV) data structure in the LACP communication.

12. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the aggregation connected engine receives the second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address in response to an unavailability of the first aggregated networking device.

13. The IHS of claim 7 , wherein the aggregation connected engine is configured to:

receive, from the second aggregated networking device subsequent to associating the first MAC address and the second MAC address with the aggregated link, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

a third MAC address of a third aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address; and

associate the second MAC address and the third MAC address with the aggregated link to the second aggregated networking device and the third aggregated networking device.

14. A method for performing failover with aggregated networking devices, comprising:

receiving, by an aggregation connected device from a first aggregated networking device, a first aggregation communication that identifies:

a first Media Access Control (MAC) address of the first aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

a second MAC address of a second aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address, wherein the second aggregated networking device is aggregated with the first aggregated networking device and the second MAC address is different than the first MAC address;

associating, by the aggregation connected device, the first MAC address and the second MAC address with an aggregated link to the first aggregated networking device and the second aggregated networking device; and

receiving, by the aggregation connected device from the second aggregated networking device subsequent to associating the first MAC address and the second MAC address with the aggregated link, a second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address, wherein the aggregated link remains available in response to the second MAC address that is identified as the actor MAC address being associated with the aggregated link.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the aggregation connected device to the first aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address associated with the aggregation connected device as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving, by the aggregation connected device from the second aggregated networking device, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

the first MAC address of the first aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

transmitting, by the aggregation connected device to the second aggregated networking device, a fourth aggregation communication that identifies:

a third MAC address associated with the aggregation connected device as an actor MAC address; and

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as a partner MAC address.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first aggregation communication is a Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) communication, and wherein the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device is provided as the alternate actor MAC address in a Type-Length-Value (TLV) data structure in the LACP communication.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the aggregation connected device receives the second aggregation communication that identifies the second MAC address as an actor MAC address in response to an unavailability of the first aggregated networking device.

20. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

receiving, by the aggregation connected device from the second aggregated networking device subsequent to associating the first MAC address and the second MAC address with the aggregated link, a third aggregation communication that identifies:

the second MAC address of the second aggregated networking device as an actor MAC address; and

a third MAC address of a third aggregated networking device as an alternate actor MAC address; and

associating, by the aggregation connected device, the second MAC address and the third MAC address with the aggregated link to the second aggregated networking device and the third aggregated networking device.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0280) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0255 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0124) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062022/0012 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (056295/0001) Recorded Jun 10, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 062021/0844 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 058297/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0124 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056295/0280 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISSING PATENTS THAT WERE ON THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULED SUBMITTED BUT NOT ENTERED PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056250 FRAME: 0541. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 17, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056311/0781 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 14, 2021
From: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
Reel/Frame 056250/0541 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2021
From: KARUPPIAH, KANNAN; SHANMUGAM, UDHAYA CHANDRAN
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 055780/0490 →