Method and apparatus for failover detection and recovery using gratuitous address resolution messages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9483369-B2
Application number	US-201414163166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

An approach for efficient failover detection includes detecting an attempt by a first server to transition from a standby mode to an active mode, diagnosing a loss of connectivity to the first server in a control plane as a cause of the attempt, and transitioning to a standby mode based on the diagnosed cause of the attempt.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
detecting an attempt by a first server to transition from a standby mode to an active mode;
diagnosing a loss of connectivity to the first server in a control plane as a cause of the attempt;
transitioning to a standby mode based on the diagnosed cause of the attempt;
receiving one or more gratuitous address resolution messages from the first server via a data plane; and
determining a failure to synchronize to one or more applications at the first server via the control plane,
wherein the attempt is detected based on the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a resumption of connectivity via the control plane to the first server; and
re-synchronizing the one or more applications with the first server via the control plane.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transitioning to the active mode based on the detected resumption of connectivity; and
transmitting one or more other gratuitous address resolution messages via the data plane.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control and data planes correspond to respective first and second communication links to the first server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages comprise one or more virtual network addresses shared by the first server and a second server.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more virtual network addresses are shared virtual Internet protocol (IP) addresses.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first server hosts the one or more applications with a second server.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor configured to:
detect an attempt by a first server to transition from a standby mode to an active mode;
diagnose a loss of connectivity to the first server in a control plane as a cause of the attempt;
transition to a standby mode based on the diagnosed cause of the attempt;
receive one or more gratuitous address resolution messages from the first server via a data plane; and
determine a failure to synchronize to one or more applications at the first server via the control plane,
wherein the attempt is detected based on the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
detect a resumption of connectivity via the control plane to the first server; and
re-synchronize the one or more applications with the first server via the control plane.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
transition to the active mode based on the detected resumption of connectivity; and
transmit one or more other gratuitous address resolution messages via the data plane.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control and data planes correspond to respective first and second communication links to the first server.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages comprise one or more virtual network addresses shared by the first server and a second server.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the one or more virtual network addresses are shared virtual Internet protocol (IP) addresses.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first server hosts the one or more applications with a second server.

15. A system comprising:
a first server;
a second server;
a failover platform configured to:
detect an attempt by the first server to transition from a standby mode to an active mode,
diagnose a loss of connectivity to the first server in a control plane as a cause of the attempt,
transition to a standby mode based on the diagnosed cause of the attempt,
receive one or more gratuitous address resolution messages from the first server via a data plane, and
determine a failure to synchronize to one or more applications at the first server via the control plane,

wherein the control plane connects the first and second servers via a first communication link and the data plane connects the first and second servers via a second communication link, and
wherein the attempt is detected based on the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the failover platform is further configured to:
detect a resumption of connectivity via the control plane to the first server; and
re-synchronize the one or more applications with the first server via the control plane.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the failover platform is further configured to:
transition to the active mode based on the detected resumption of connectivity; and
transmit one or more other gratuitous address resolution messages via the data plane.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the one or more gratuitous address resolution messages comprise one or more virtual network addresses shared by the first server and the second server.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the one or more virtual network addresses are shared virtual Internet protocol (IP) addresses.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first server hosts the one or more applications with the second server.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Sporel Eric

Classifications

• G06F11/1658

  Data re-synchronization of a redundant component, or initial sync of replacement, additional or spare unit · CPC title

• G06F11/2038

  with a single idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G06F11/2025

  using centralised failover control functionality · CPC title

• G06F11/2041

  with more than one idle spare processing component · CPC title

• G06F11/2097

  maintaining the standby controller/processing unit updated (initialisation or re-synchronisation thereof G06F11/1658 and subgroups) · CPC title