IP Library Granted Patent US 11,431,552
Granted Patent B1
US 11,431,552 · App. 17/241,740 · Granted Aug 30, 2022

Zero traffic loss in VLT fabric

Inventors: Ramesh Ganapathi (Chennai, IN); Charles C. Park (San Jose, CA); Gopinath Jayapal (Tamilnadu, IN); Gokulnath Raja (Chennai, IN)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H04L41/0654
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,431,552
App. No.
17/241,740
Filed
Apr 27, 2021
Granted
Aug 30, 2022
Kind
B1
Art Unit
2444
USPC
370/221
Abstract

An information handling system may include at least one processor; and a memory; wherein the information handling system is configured to manage a network that includes a first virtual link trunking (VLT) node, a second VLT node, and a plurality of devices that are communicatively coupled to the first VLT node via a first set of links and to the second VLT node via a second set of links, wherein the managing includes: detecting that the first VLT node has malfunctioned; detecting that the first VLT node has recovered; and after the first VLT node has recovered, preventing traffic over the first set of links until determining that all information needed to forward the traffic has been synced between the first VLT node and the second VLT node.

Claims (33)

1. An information handling system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory;

wherein the information handling system is configured to manage a network that includes a first virtual link trunking (VLT) node, a second VLT node, and a plurality of devices that are communicatively coupled to the first VLT node via a first set of links and to the second VLT node via a second set of links, wherein the managing includes:

detecting that the first VLT node has malfunctioned;

detecting that the first VLT node has recovered; and

after the first VLT node has recovered, preventing traffic over the first set of links until determining that all information needed to forward the traffic has been synced between the first VLT node and the second VLT node.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the devices are nodes of a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the first VLT node is communicatively coupled to the second VLT node via an inter-chassis link (ICL).

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein preventing traffic over the first set of links comprises disabling ports of the plurality of devices that are coupled to the first set of links.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the information handling system is a smart fabric services (SFS) controller.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein the SFS controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second VLT nodes and to the plurality of devices via an out-of-band management network.

7. A method comprising:

communicatively coupling an information handling system to a network that includes a first virtual link trunking (VLT) node, a second VLT node, and a plurality of devices that are communicatively coupled to the first VLT node via a first set of links and to the second VLT node via a second set of links; and

managing the network by the information handling system, wherein the managing includes:

detecting that the first VLT node has malfunctioned;

detecting that the first VLT node has recovered; and

after the first VLT node has recovered, preventing traffic over the first set of links until determining that all information needed to forward the traffic has been synced between the first VLT node and the second VLT node.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the devices are nodes of a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first VLT node is communicatively coupled to the second VLT node via an inter-chassis link (ICL).

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein preventing traffic over the first set of links comprises disabling ports of the plurality of devices that are coupled to the first set of links.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the information handling system is a smart fabric services (SFS) controller.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the SFS controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second VLT nodes and to the plurality of devices via an out-of-band management network.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions thereon that are executable by a processor of an information handling system for:

managing a network that includes a first virtual link trunking (VLT) node, a second VLT node, and a plurality of devices that are communicatively coupled to the first VLT node via a first set of links and to the second VLT node via a second set of links, wherein the managing includes:

detecting that the first VLT node has malfunctioned;

detecting that the first VLT node has recovered; and

after the first VLT node has recovered, preventing traffic over the first set of links until determining that all information needed to forward the traffic has been synced between the first VLT node and the second VLT node.

14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the devices are nodes of a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) cluster.

15. The article of claim 13 , wherein the first VLT node is communicatively coupled to the second VLT node via an inter-chassis link (ICL).

16. The article of claim 13 , wherein preventing traffic over the first set of links comprises disabling ports of the plurality of devices that are coupled to the first set of links.

17. The article of claim 13 , wherein the information handling system is a smart fabric services (SFS) controller.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the SFS controller is communicatively coupled to the first and second VLT nodes and to the plurality of devices via an out-of-band management network.

Assignments (9)
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 (056295/0001) 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 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 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 056295/0280 →
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 056295/0124 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2021
From: GANAPATHI, RAMESH; PARK, CHARLES C.; JAYAPAL, GOPINATH; RAJA, GOKULNATH
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 056059/0105 →