Ethernet Ring Redundancy via Segment Controllers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Ethernet network configurations with redundancy managers in interconnected rings face instability and accessibility issues due to dependency between ring managers, leading to unforeseeable consequences when common routes fail or are restored, requiring different configurations for each ring.
Innovation Solution
Connecting a sub-ring without a redundancy manager and monitoring it with segment controllers at both ends using control packets, ensuring independence from other rings and network segments, allowing for different reaction times and eliminating common route dependencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple redundancy managers are deployed in interconnected rings, then each ring can independently monitor its own status, but dependency between ring managers causes instability and unforeseeable consequences when common routes fail or are restored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the redundancy management function from individual rings and consolidates it into a single central redundancy manager. This central manager monitors all rings including sub-rings, eliminating the dependency between multiple distributed redundancy managers. When a route failure occurs, only the central manager reacts, preventing conflicting actions and network instability while maintaining reliable monitoring across all rings.
2Stability of the object's composition
If each ring is configured differently to avoid simultaneous reactions, then network stability is improved, but configuration time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each ring to have identical standard configuration parameters while the central redundancy manager handles ring-specific monitoring logic. All rings use the same redundancy manager and can be configured uniformly, eliminating the need for different configurations per ring. The central manager's location-aware routing logic provides the necessary differentiation without requiring complex per-ring configuration.
3Reliability
If ring managers react simultaneously to common route changes, then each ring responds to its own status changes, but loops are created and network segments become unreachable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central redundancy manager as an intermediary that mediates all route monitoring and reaction across multiple rings. Instead of distributed ring managers independently reacting to route changes, the central manager receives route status information, determines the appropriate response based on its location in the route, and coordinates the reaction. This prevents simultaneous conflicting reactions that would create loops or make network segments unreachable.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for operating a local network, particularly an Ethernet network, having redundancy properties, wherein in a closed ring a redundancy manager monitors the sections of said ring, and wherein according to the invention at least one additional ring is connected as a partial ring which does not contain a redundancy manager, and segment controllers at both ends of the partial ring take on the monitoring of said partial ring by sending control packets into said partial ring.