System and method to improve the resiliency and performance of enterprise networks by utilizing in-built network redundancy
The present invention is a system and method to improve the reliability and performance of existing enterprise IP networks which have dual-homed (or multi-homed) network architectures. In one aspect of the invention packets related to a selected category of transmission (e.g., VoIP) are duplicated at an edge router and sent over both (multiple) service providers. After traversing the service provider networks, only the first-to-arrive packets are kept and the later-arriving copies are discarded. In so doing, the result is better protection against node failures, link failures, and packet errors, and also better QoS performance under normal (fault-free) operation.
1. A method for transmitting real-time traffic on an Internet Protocol (IP) network from a signal origin point to a signal destination point, said traffic comprising a plurality of original data packets, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) creating a duplicate data packet for at least some of said plurality of original data packets, thereby creating an original copy and a duplicate copy for at least some of said plurality of original data packets;
(b) transmitting said original data packets to the signal destination point along a first network path;
(c) transmitting at least some of said duplicate data packets to the signal destination point along a second network path wherein said second path differs from said first network path;
(d) determining periodically the status of the first and second network paths by comparing the delays of the data packets in the first and second network paths; and
(e) selecting the network path having the least delay as the active network path.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said traffic comprises VoIP.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said IP network comprises a dual-homed enterprise network comprising a first service provider network and a second service provider network, wherein said first network path is at least partially within said first service provider network and said second network path is at least partially within said second service provider network.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first network path is over a first WAN and said second network path is over a second WAN.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said network comprises a first tunnel and a second tunnel, each tunnel being provided by the same service provider, and said first network path is over said first tunnel and said second network path is over said second tunnel.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the delay is determined by comparing the time of arrival for an original data packet transmitted along the first network path relative to time of arrival for a corresponding duplicate data packet transmitted along the second network path.
7. A system for transmitting real-time traffic on an Internet Protocol (IP) network from a signal origin point to a signal destination point, said traffic comprising a plurality of original data packets, the system comprising:
(a) means for creating a duplicate data packet for at least some of said plurality of original data packets, thereby creating an original copy and a duplicate copy for at least some of said plurality of original data packets;
(b) means for transmitting said original data packets to the signal destination point along a first network path;
(c) means for transmitting at least some of said duplicate data packets to the signal destination point along a second network path wherein said second path differs from said first network path;
(d) means for determining periodically the status of the first and second network paths by comparing the delays of the data packets in the first and second network paths; and
(e) means for selecting the network path having the least delay as the active network path.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said traffic comprises VoIP.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein said IP network comprises a dual-homed enterprise network comprising a first service provider network and a second service provider network, wherein said first network path is at least partially within said first service provider network and said second network path is at least partially within said second service provider network.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein said first network path is over a first WAN and said second network path is over a second WAN.
11. The system of claim 7 wherein said network comprises a first tunnel and a second tunnel, each tunnel being provided by the same service provider, and said first network path is over said first tunnel and said second network path is over said second tunnel.
12. The system of claim 7 wherein the delay is determined by comparing the time of arrival for an original data packet transmitted along the first network path relative to time of arrival for a corresponding duplicate data packet transmitted along the second network path.