Interconnect Link Failover for Unrecoverable Packet Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing interconnect systems face reliability issues due to unrecoverable failures in communication links, where packets in retransmission buffers are not acknowledged, leading to system suspension until manual intervention and link reconnection.

Innovation Solution

A packet transmission method and apparatus that dynamically switch packets from an active link to a standby link when an unrecoverable failure occurs, ensuring continuous operation by sending residual packets from the retransmission buffer through the standby link, thereby maintaining system reliability without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If retransmission Buffer retransmission technology is used, then recoverable failures are handled, but unrecoverable failures cause system suspension

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidautomation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-establishes multiple standby links in advance before failures occur. When an unrecoverable failure is detected on the active link, the system can immediately switch to a pre-configured standby link without requiring manual intervention or system suspension, thus resolving the contradiction between handling unrecoverable failures and maintaining automated operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If manual intervention is required for link reconnection, then system control is maintained, but system operation is interrupted

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveoperationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automatic failure detection and link switching mechanisms that enable the system to self-heal without manual intervention. The system autonomously detects unrecoverable failures, selects appropriate standby links, and switches traffic routing, thereby maintaining continuous operation while eliminating the need for manual link reconnection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of time

If standby links are pre-configured, then failure recovery is faster, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovetimeVSAvoidcomplexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-configures multiple standby links and establishes their routing paths in advance, creating a pool of ready-to-use alternative paths. This preliminary preparation enables immediate failover when failures occur, reducing recovery time while managing complexity through structured pre-planning of backup routes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent designs standby links that can serve multiple purposes: they function as backup routes for various active links and can be dynamically selected based on failure patterns. This multi-functionality reduces the overall number of dedicated backup links needed, thereby managing system complexity while maintaining fast recovery capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3107251B1Packet transmission method and device
Publication Date: 2019.08.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3107251B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3107251B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3107251B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a packet transmission method and apparatus, and an interconnect interface, where the method includes: determining, by a sending node, whether an unrecoverable failure occurs in an active link, and if an unrecoverable failure occurs in the active link, selecting, from multiple communication links, at least one standby link except the active link to send a packet to a receiving node, so that the receiving node sends the packet to a receive end of the active link. In the method, for two nodes in an interconnect system that communicate with each other by using multiple Links, when it is determined that an unrecoverable failure occurs in some of the Links, packets in retransmission buffers Buffers of transmit ends of the links in which the failure is unrecoverable are sent to a standby link, so that these packets are sent, by using the standby link, to receive ends of the links in which the failure is unrecoverable, which greatly improves a capability of the interconnect system in preventing a sudden abnormal case, and ensures high reliability of the interconnect system.