Router Grace Restart Control via Neighbor Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current MPLS protocols, such as LDP and RSVP, incorrectly detect neighbor router restarts, leading to unnecessary GR status activation, which causes CPU resource occupancy, data interaction issues, and potential data forwarding failures due to mistaken detection of neighbor relationship breaks.
Innovation Solution
A method and router configuration that enter GR status only when the local router detects a neighbor relationship break and not its own restart, with enhanced neighbor relationship establishing messages to indicate non-restart conditions, allowing timely exit from incorrect GR status and proper LSP management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the router detects neighbor relationship break to enter GR status, then the router ensures uninterrupted forwarding of critical services, but the router may enter GR status by mistake when the neighbor router does not actually restart
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by having the neighbor router send a confirmation message (Step 104) to verify whether it actually restarted. The router enters GR status only after receiving positive confirmation from the neighbor router, rather than solely based on detecting neighbor relationship break. This feedback mechanism eliminates false GR status activation while maintaining reliable service forwarding.
2Reliability
If the router enters GR status by mistake, then the router activates redundant fault-tolerant mechanisms, but unnecessary signaling and CPU resource occupancy occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the router send a verification message to the neighbor router before fully activating GR status. This preliminary check prevents unnecessary activation of GR mechanisms when the neighbor router has not actually restarted, thereby avoiding wasted CPU resources and unnecessary signaling while maintaining fault-tolerant capability when truly needed.
3Reliability
If the router enters GR status by mistake, then the router preserves LSP for potential use, but data forwarding may fail due to LSP unavailability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by verifying actual neighbor restart status before entering GR status and preserving LSP. When the verification confirms no restart occurred, the router does not enter GR status and thus does not preserve LSP, allowing immediate data forwarding without LSP unavailability issues. This maintains service continuity only when truly necessary while preserving data forwarding efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling the Grace Restart (GR) status is disclosed. The method includes: entering a GR status when a router detects that neighbor relationship with a neighbor router breaks and the router itself does not restart; receiving a neighbor relationship establishing message sent by the neighbor router; and quitting the GR status when the router detects that the message does not indicate a restart of the neighbor router. A router is also disclosed. The router includes a neighbor relationship testing module restart testing module, a relationship message receiving and processing module and a GR module. The solution is able to detect timely that a router mistakenly enters a Grace Restart status. Thus, unnecessary signaling and data interaction are reduced, and CPU resource is less occupied. In addition, a newly generated routing can be delivered to the LSP, which improves the rate of a success data transfer.