METHODS AND DEVICES FOR AUTOMATICALLY REESTABLISHING MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL SECURITY SESSIONS OVER WIDE AREA NETWORKS
A first electronic device communicates over a wide area network by establishing a MACSec session with a second electronic device over the wide area network. The MACSec session is thereafter torn down in response to the first electronic device sensing a fault in the MACSec session. Then, one or more keep alive probes are transmitted to the second electronic device over the wide area network. A response to the keep alive probe is thereafter received. The MACSec session may then be automatically reestablished in response to receiving the probe.
1 . A method for a first electronic device to communicate over a wide area network, the method comprising:
establishing a MACSec session with a second electronic device over the wide area network;
enabling transmission of a keep alive probe if a VxLAN cross-connect feature is not enabled during the MACSec session;
tearing down the MACSec session;
transmitting the keep alive probe to the second electronic device over the wide area network after tearing down the MACSec session; and
automatically reestablishing the MACSec session.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the tearing down of the MACSec session occurs in response to sensing a fault in the MACSec session.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a response to the keep alive probe; and
completing a handshake with the second electronic device after receiving the response to the keep alive probe.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the MACSec session is automatically reestablished at least in part in response to receiving the response to the keep alive probe.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the MACSec session is formed over a VxLAN tunnel through the wide area network.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a keep alive probe over the wide area network after tearing down the MACSec session.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling transmission of the keep alive probe in response to determining that a MACSec physical interface is not operating.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the MACSec session is automatically reestablished at least in part in response to receiving the response to the keep alive probe.
9 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium of a first electronic device storing one or more computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor of the first electronic device, cause the first electronic device to perform one or more operations comprising:
establishing a MACSec session with a second electronic device over a wide area network;
tearing down the MACSec session in response to sensing a fault in the MACSec session;
transmitting a keep alive probe to the second electronic device over the wide area network after tearing down the MACSec session;
receiving a response to the keep alive probe; and
automatically reestablishing the MACSec session.
10 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the one or more operations further comprising:
completing a handshake with the second electronic device after receiving the response to the keep alive probe.
11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the MACSec session is formed over a VxLAN tunnel through the wide area network.
12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein sensing a fault in the MACSec session comprises not receiving a packet over the MACSec session within a first predetermined time period.
13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first electronic device is configured to transmit additional keep alive probes at a predetermined interval, where the predetermined interval is longer than the first predetermined time period.
14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the one or more operations further comprising:
enabling transmission of the keep alive probe in response to determining that a VxLAN cross-connect feature is not enabled.
15 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the one or more operations further comprising:
receiving a keep alive probe over the wide area network after tearing down the MACSec session.
16 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the received keep alive probe is received from the second electronic device.
17 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the keep alive probe comprises a MACSec HELLO packet.
18 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more computer-readable instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the one or more operations further comprising:
disabling transmission of the keep alive probe in response to determining that a MACSec physical interface is not operating.
19 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first electronic device is a switch.
20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the MACSec session is automatically reestablished at least in part in response to receiving the response to the keep alive probe.