Virtual Link Aggregation Port Enablement Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Network traffic bandwidth loss occurs during the startup or rebooting of aggregation switches in a data center due to improper handling of network traffic flow, leading to connectivity issues and redundancy challenges in virtual link aggregation systems.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a detection module that maintains networking ports in a disabled state until a link status is determined and activating a delay timer to ensure proper enablement of ports after link status verification, preventing network traffic loss by allowing protocols to stabilize before enabling traffic forwarding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If networking ports are enabled immediately during switch startup, then network traffic can be forwarded right away, but network traffic bandwidth loss occurs due to unstable link status and protocols

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork traffic forwarding speedVSAvoidlink status stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining networking ports in a disabled state during switch startup, determining link status, and activating protocols before enabling the ports. This preliminary preparation ensures that when ports are enabled, the link status is stable and protocols are ready, preventing network traffic bandwidth loss while maintaining productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If networking ports are kept in disabled state during startup, then link status can be verified and protocols can stabilize, but network traffic forwarding is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelink status stabilityVSAvoidport enablement delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service by automatically determining link status and activating protocols during the disabled state period, so that when ports are enabled, everything is ready without requiring additional manual configuration or waiting time. This minimizes the actual delay while ensuring reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If delay timer is activated upon link status determination, then ports are enabled only when protocols are ready, but startup time is extended

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotocol readinessVSAvoidswitch startup duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring link status and protocol readiness during the disabled state, and only enabling ports when the feedback indicates that protocols are ready. This ensures reliable protocol readiness while the delay timer manages the startup duration by enabling ports as soon as readiness is confirmed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8923114B2Start-up delay for event-driven virtual link aggregation

Publication Date: 2014.12.30 LENOVO GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES SWITZERLAND INTERNATIONAL GMBH

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention relate to virtual link aggregation. One embodiment includes preventing network traffic loss upon rebooting of a first networking device based on: maintaining a first group of networking ports in a first disabled state, determining a link-status of a first link between the first networking device and a second networking device, activating a delay timer for delaying the rebooting of the first network device upon the determination of a first status indication for the first link, and switching at least one of the first group of networking ports to a first enabled state upon expiration of the delay timer.