Multi-Partition Networking Device Suspicious State Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-partition networking systems face challenges in minimizing the time lapse between primary and secondary partition failures, leading to increased buffer pool size requirements to prevent packet loss, which in turn increases cost and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an intermediate 'suspicious state' in the multi-partition networking device allows the secondary partition to be preemptively powered up upon detection of a suspicious condition, reducing the time needed to transition to an active state and minimizing the period of network traffic disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by stationary object
If the secondary partition is kept in standby state to minimize power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but the time to transition to active state increases causing packet loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting suspicious conditions (such as performance degradation or errors) in the primary partition before complete failure occurs, and proactively transitioning the secondary partition from standby to active state. This提前 detection and transition reduces the time lapse between primary partition failure and secondary partition takeover, minimizing packet loss while avoiding the need to keep the secondary partition continuously powered on.
2Reliability
If the buffer pool size is increased to prevent packet loss during transition, then packet loss is prevented, but cost and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
By detecting suspicious conditions in advance and transitioning the secondary partition proactively, the patent reduces the duration of the transition period, thereby reducing the buffer pool size required to prevent packet loss during failover.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors its own health status through suspicious condition detection and automatically triggers the failover process, eliminating the need for large buffer pools by self-managing the transition timing.
3Loss of time
If the secondary partition is continuously powered on to reduce transition time, then transition time is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the secondary partition to active state only when suspicious conditions are detected in the primary partition, rather than keeping it continuously powered on. This on-demand transition approach reduces power consumption while still achieving fast failover when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the power state of the secondary partition based on the health status of the primary partition, transitioning from standby to active state only when necessary, thereby optimizing the balance between transition time and power consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-partition networking device comprising a primary partition running on a first set of hardware resources and a secondary partition running on a further set of hardware resources. The multi-partition networking device is arranged to operate in a first operating state, whereby the first set of hardware resources are in an active state and the primary partition is arranged to process network traffic, and the further set of hardware resources are in a standby state. The multi-partition networking device is further arranged to transition to a second operating state upon detection of a suspicious condition within the primary partition, whereby the further set of hardware resources are transitioned from a standby state to an active state, and to transition to a third operating state upon detection of a failure condition within the primary partition, whereby processing of network traffic is transferred to the secondary partition.