Fujitsu Corporation

Pasula Srinivasa Reddy

Mandar S Joshi

Virgil Vladescu

Don O'Connor

A method and system for protection switching distributes responsibility for action between a central controller and network elements at endpoints of a linear point-to-point network path. The central controller may be configured to support protection switching by network elements at endpoints of a linear point-to-point path, such that the network elements perform protection switching independently and without direct involvement and/or dependency of the central controller. Simultaneously, the central controller may remain aware of network element actions, events, and states with regard to protection switching, by receiving corresponding notifications from the network elements.

Linear path protection in a centralized controller environment

A method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first link of a multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second link of the multi-chassis link aggregation group, communicatively coupling the second network element to a fourth network element via a first path of a point-to-point network, and communicatively coupling the third network element to the fourth network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may also include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first link and the first path may be switched over to the second link and the second path in response to an event.

Method and system for implementing network element-level redundancy

A first network element is coupled to a second network element via a first path of a first point-to-point network, the first network element is coupled to a third network element via a second path of the first-point-to-point network, the second network element is coupled to a fourth network element via a first path of a second point-to-point network, and the third network element is coupled to the fourth network element via a second path of the second point-to-point network. The paths of the first point-to-point network are configured as paths of a first linear protected switching connection and the paths of the second point-to-point network are configured as paths of a second linear protected switching connection such that traffic communicated between the first network element and the fourth network element via the first paths may be switched over to the second paths.

According to one embodiment, a method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first path of a point-to-point network. The method may also include communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may further include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated via one of the first path and the second path may be switched over to the other of the first path and the second path in response to an event.

According to a further embodiment, a method may include communicatively coupling a first network element to a second network element via a first path of a point-to-point network. The method may also include communicatively coupling the first network element to a third network element via a second path of the point-to-point network. The method may additionally include communicatively coupling the second network element and the third network element to a multipoint-to-multipoint network. The method may further include configuring the first path and the second path as paths of a linear protected switching connection such that traffic associated with a service and communicated between the first network element and the multipoint-to-multipoint network via one of the first path and the second path may be switched over to the other of the first path and the second path in response to an event.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Pasula Srinivasa Reddy