SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR KEEP-ALIVE ACTIVITIES
Systems and methods for maintaining keep-alive processes operational during a hardware and/or software fault condition that interrupts normal traffic exchanged with a subscriber. Preferred systems and methods include at least one processor that isolates keep-alive processes from the normal traffic processes.
1 . A device comprising:
at least one processor performing a first set of processes for exchanging traffic with a user and a second set processes comprising keep-alive traffic required to maintain the exchange of the first set of processes, where the second set of processes is isolated from the first set of processes.
2 . The device of claim 1 comprising a Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP).
3 . The device of claim 1 where the first set of processes and the second set of processes are performed on respectively different processors.
4 . The device of claim 3 having an output selectively connectable to a transmission medium to at least one subscriber, and including a steering network interposed between the output and the respectively different processors.
5 . The device of claim 4 where each processor is connected to the steering network via a path independent of that of the other processor.
6 . The device of claim 1 where the first set of processes and the second set of processes are performed on a single processor.
7 . The device of claim 6 having an output selectively connectable to a transmission medium to at least one subscriber, and including a steering network interposed between the output and the processor.
8 . The device of claim 7 where each process is connected to the steering network via a path independent of that of the other process.
9 . The device of claim 1 configured to selectively steer the first set of processes to another device during a failure in the at least one active processor.
10 . The device of claim 1 configured to maintain the keep-alive traffic while the at least one active processor performs a reboot of the first set of processes.
11 . A method performed on at least active processor performing a first set of processes for exchanging traffic with a user and a second set processes comprising keep-alive traffic required to maintain the exchange of the first set of processes, the method comprising:
detecting a failure of the first set of processes; and
performing a reboot of the first set of processes while the processor continues to perform the second set of processes.
12 . The method of claim 11 performed in a Converged Cable Access Platform (CCAP).
13 . The method of claim 11 where the first set of processes and the second set of processes are performed on respectively different processors.
14 . The method of claim 13 including outputting at least one of the first set of processes and the second set of processes to a transmission medium to at least one subscriber, and through a steering network interposed between the output and the respectively different processors.
15 . The method of claim 14 where each processor is connected to the steering network via a path independent of that of the other processor.
16 . The method of claim 11 where the first set of processes and the second set of processes are performed on a single processor.
17 . The method of claim 16 including outputting at least one of the first set of processes and the second set of processes to a transmission medium to at least one subscriber, and through a steering network interposed between the output and the respectively different processes.
18 . The method of claim 17 where each process is connected to the steering network via a path independent of that of the other process.
19 . The method of claim 11 configured to selectively steer the first set of processes to another device during a failure in the at least one active processor.