Hot-Swapped Network Addresses for Uninterrupted Job Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems lack a mechanism to swap forwarding routes without interrupting running jobs when cable additions or removals occur, leading to potential disruptions in multi-node communication within and between servers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a subnet manager that assigns primary and secondary local identifiers to channel adapters, creating alternate routing paths during failure events, and seamlessly switching to these alternate paths to maintain uninterrupted data forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If forwarding routes are reconfigured when cable additions or removals occur, then network adaptability is improved, but running jobs are interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring alternate routing paths before failure events occur. The subnet manager establishes backup routes in advance, so when a cable is added or removed, the system can immediately switch to the pre-prepared alternate path without interrupting running jobs, thus resolving the contradiction between network adaptability and job continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes by switching between different routing path parameters (primary vs. secondary identifiers) based on network conditions. When a failure event is detected, the system changes the active routing parameter from the primary path to the alternate path, enabling seamless transition that maintains both network adaptability and job continuity
2Reliability
If forwarding routes are reconfigured to maintain uninterrupted data forwarding, then job continuity is improved, but transition duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing alternate routing paths before they are needed. The subnet manager proactively creates backup routes and maintains them in readiness, so when a failure occurs, the switch to the alternate path is immediate rather than requiring time-consuming route discovery and setup, thus minimizing transition duration while maintaining job continuity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a replica (copy) of the primary routing path as an alternate path. This copied route mirrors the structure and characteristics of the primary path, allowing for rapid substitution without requiring complex reconfiguration, thereby reducing transition time while ensuring uninterrupted data forwarding
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a routing fabric and management circuitry. The routing fabric connects processing devices. The management circuitry determines an event associated with a first routing path included in the routing fabric. The management circuitry identifies a processing partition that is affected by the event based on a first local identifier. The first local identifier is associated with the first routing path and is assigned to the processing partition, and the processing partition is associated with one or more of the processing devices. The management circuitry routes one or more processes associated with the processing partition based on a second local identifier. The second local identifier is associated with a second routing path included in the routing path and is assigned to the processing partition. The one or more processes are routed using the second routing path.