High-Availability Management Access via VRRP Gateway Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network devices lack high availability access to management services in the event of communication path failures between the network device and downstream gateway devices, which can lead to disruptions in network operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dual or single supervisor card configurations with failover mechanisms, utilizing Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) for redundant Layer 3 connectivity, and employing virtual router and forwarding instances to manage and secure management traffic, ensuring seamless failover to backup paths in case of path failures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single supervisor card is used in the network device, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of management services is compromised due to lack of failover capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures multiple communication paths and gateway devices in advance before any failure occurs. The active supervisor is pre-configured with primary and backup paths to gateway devices, ensuring that failover can occur immediately when a failure is detected, without requiring real-time configuration changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) as an intermediary mechanism that enables seamless failover between gateway devices. VRRP acts as a mediator that manages the redundancy and automatic switching between active and backup gateway devices, simplifying the failover process.
2Reliability
If dual supervisor card configuration with failover mechanisms is implemented, then the reliability of management services is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple communication paths and gateway devices into a unified management interface. The active supervisor consolidates the management of primary and backup paths, allowing administrators to access management services through a single interface regardless of which physical path is currently active.
Solution Approach 2:
The supervisor card is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate as an active supervisor managing production traffic, as a standby supervisor ready to take over management services, and as a gateway device itself. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
3Reliability
If VRRP and virtual router instances are used for redundant connectivity, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to configuration complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic failure detection and failover mechanisms that operate without manual intervention. The system continuously monitors the health of communication paths and automatically switches to backup paths when failures are detected, eliminating the need for administrators to manually configure failover scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates continuous monitoring and feedback mechanisms that track the status of communication paths and gateway devices. This feedback information is used to automatically trigger failover actions, ensuring that the system adapts to changing conditions without requiring manual configuration or intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides for path failures on the communication paths that connect the active supervisor on a network device to two or more downstream gateway devices. From a user's point of view, the gateway devices are configured as a single logical gateway node and include a failover mechanism (e.g., using Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol, VRRP) to provide redundant Layer 3 connectivity to the network device. Failover from one gateway device to another happens transparently to the user.