Method and system for implementing network element-level redundancy
A method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second link of the multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the second network element to a fourth network element via a first path of a point-to-point network, and communicatively coupling the third network element to the fourth network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may also include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event.
1. A method comprising:
communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group;
communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second link of the multi-chassis link aggregation group;
communicatively coupling the second network element to a fourth network element via a first path of a point-to-point network;
communicatively coupling the third network element to the fourth network element via a second path of the point-to-point network, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth network elements comprises a plurality of network interfaces and a switching element coupling the plurality of network interfaces; and
configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising configuring the second network element, the third network element, and the fourth network element such that the second network element and the third network element appear as a single network element to the fourth network element.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising configuring the first network element, the second network element, and the third network element such that the second network element and the third network element appear as a single network element to the first network element.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the linear protected switching connection is configured in accordance with the ITU G.8031 standard with respect to the fourth network element.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
communicatively coupling the second network element and the third network element via a synchronization connection; and
configuring the second network element and the third network element to synchronize status information for the linear protected switching connection between the second network element and the third network element via the synchronization connection.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the event comprises one of:
a failure of the first path;
a failure of the second path;
a failure of the first link;
a failure of the second link;
a removal of a failure condition; and
a human-initiated command to switchover.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising configuring the linear protected switching connection for 1+1 redundancy protection.
8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising configuring the linear protected switching connection for 1:1 redundancy protection.
9. A network element comprising:
a processor; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing:
logic for communicatively coupling the network element to a second network element via a first path of a point-to-point network;
logic for communicatively coupling the network element to a third network element via a second path of the point-to-point network;
wherein:
the second network element is configured to be communicatively coupled to a fourth network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group, wherein each of the network elements comprises a plurality of network interfaces and a switching element coupling the plurality of network interfaces; and
the third network element is configured to be communicatively coupled to the fourth network element via a second link of the multi-chassis link aggregation group; and
logic for configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event.
10. The network element according to claim 9 , further comprising logic for configuring the network element such that the second network element and the third network element appear as a single network element to the network element.
11. The network element according to claim 9 , wherein the linear protected switching connection is configured in accordance with the ITU G.8031 standard with respect to the fourth network element.
12. The network element according to claim 9 , wherein the event comprises one of:
a failure of the first path;
a failure of the second path;
a failure of the first link;
a failure of the second link;
a removal of a failure condition; and
a human-initiated command to switchover.
13. The network element according to claim 9 , further comprising logic for configuring the linear protected switching connection for 1+1 redundancy protection.
14. The network element according to claim 9 , further comprising logic for configuring the linear protected switching connection for 1:1 redundancy protection.
15. A network element comprising:
a processor; and
one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing:
logic for communicatively coupling the network element to a second network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group;
logic for communicatively coupling the network element and to a third network element via a synchronization connection;
logic for communicatively coupling the network element to a fourth network element via a first path of a point-to-point network;
wherein:
the second network element and the third network element are configured to be communicatively coupled via a second link of the link aggregation group;
the third network element and the fourth network element are configured to be communicatively coupled via a second path of the point-to-point network such that the first path and the second path may be configured as paths of a linear protected switching connection; and
traffic associated with a service and communicated between the second network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event;
logic for configuring the network element and the third network element to synchronize status information for the linear protected switching connection between the network element and the third network element via the synchronization connection.
16. The network element according to claim 15 , further comprising logic for configuring the network element such that the network element and the third network element appear as a single network element to the fourth network element.
17. The network element according to claim 15 , further comprising logic for configuring the network element such that the network element and the third network element appear as a single network element to the second network element.
18. The network element according to claim 15 , wherein the linear protected switching connection is configured in accordance with the ITU G.8031 standard with respect to the fourth network element.
19. The network element according to claim 15 , wherein the event comprises one of:
a failure of the first path;
a failure of the second path;
a failure of the first link;
a failure of the second link;
a removal of a failure condition; and
a human-initiated command to switchover.
20. The network element according to claim 15 , further comprising logic for configuring the linear protected switching connection for one of 1+1 redundancy protection and 1:1 redundancy protection.