Lucent Technologies Inc.

Riverstone Networks, Inc.

Eddy Ng

Thirumalpathy Balakrishnan

Ajay Gaonkar

Aiay Gaonkar

A software upgrade in a network node that includes primary and secondary control modules is provided by downloading a computer software upgrade onto the secondary control module, selecting the computer software upgrade to use on reboot of the secondary control module, rebooting the secondary control module using the computer software upgrade, and switching control of the network node from the primary control module to the secondary control module after the rebooting.

Method, system, and computer program product for providing a software upgrade in a network node

Multiple techniques for providing failure protection in a network node that includes primary and secondary control modules (CMs) are disclosed. One technique involves synchronizing configuration state information between the CMs by executing a configuration command within the primary CM and then executing the same configuration command within the secondary CM only if executing the configuration command within the primary CM does not cause the primary CM to fail. Another technique involves gleaning table entries from hardware-based forwarding tables and using the gleaned table entries to generate a software-based forwarding table in the secondary CM. Another technique involves maintaining existing table entries in hardware-based forwarding tables after a switchover, generating orphan table entry links at the secondary CM to the existing table entries in the hardware-based forwarding tables, and then using the links to manage the existing table entries until the secondary CM can re-program the hardware-based forwarding tables.

Growing community of inventors

Los Altos, CA, United States of America

Eddy Ng