Ethernet Redundancy Switching Using Port Status Messages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems using the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), particularly Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol (MSTP), suffer from long and non-deterministic redundancy switchover times during data connection failures.
Innovation Solution
Network components send status messages containing port states, allowing receiving components to react promptly and deterministically to port states for redundancy switching, eliminating the need for a root bridge and enabling faster recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is used to determine network configuration, then network stability is maintained, but the redundancy switchover time becomes long and non-deterministic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-determining alternative transmission paths and configuring network components with standby connections before failures occur. When a port failure is detected, the system can immediately switch to pre-configured alternative paths without waiting for STP's lengthy convergence process, thus reducing redundancy switchover time while maintaining network stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling network components to dynamically adjust their operational state based on real-time port status. Components can transition between active and standby modes, and between different transmission paths, allowing the network to adapt quickly to failures while maintaining overall stability through controlled dynamic behavior.
2Ease of operation
If a root bridge is designated in STP to send BPDUs, then network configuration is determined, but the system complexity increases and switchover becomes non-deterministic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the root bridge dependency from the network architecture. Instead of requiring a single root bridge to send BPDUs and determine configuration, the system allows any network component to independently detect failures and initiate switchover actions. This removes the hierarchical complexity and deterministic timing constraints associated with root bridge-based STP operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies self-service by enabling each network component to autonomously monitor its own port status and independently trigger redundancy switchover when failures are detected. This eliminates the need for centralized root bridge control and complex BPDU messaging, simplifying the system while enabling deterministic switchover times through local autonomous decision-making.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a communication system (1) having a communication network (2) and to a communication method for operating a communication network (2). The communication network (2) comprises a first group (20) of network components (51, 61, 71, 81, 91) and a second group (30) of network components (52, 62, 72, 82, 92). The network components each comprise a port (P1) and a further port (P3), each of which is used to connect a network component of the same first or second group (20, 30) for data interchange purposes, and a cross port (PQ), which is used to connect a network component of the respective other group (30, 20) for data interchange purposes. To improve the communication system (1), the network components (51, 52, 61, 62, 71, 72, 81, 82, 91, 92) are configured to each transmit (A) a status message (ST) at regular intervals of time. The status message (ST) contains port state information representing a port state (F, D) of the port (P1), a port state of the further port (P3) and a port state of the cross port (PQ).