The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 19, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 20, 2000
Valerie A. Simpson, Stittsville, CA;
Dwight D. Jamieson, Ottawa, CA;
Nevein T. Sultan, Ottawa, CA;
Nortel Networks Limited, St. Laurent, QC, CA;
Abstract
A method and apparatus provides protection against resource failures in Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) networks, without increasing the complexity of the network topology and/or management. An internal router (IR) automatically maintains a back-up link in a dormant state until a network failure affecting communications with a primary adjacent area border router (ABR) is detected. Upon detection of the network failure, the IR activates the back-up link in order to enable traffic flow to an alternate adjacent ABR, which by-passes the network failure. Upon recovery of communications with the primary adjacent ABR, the IR automatically deactivates the back-up link and resumes traffic flow through the primary adjacent ABR. As a result, traffic is forwarded into the back-up link only when communications with the primary adjacent ABR has failed, thereby maintaining simplicity in the network topology, and minimizing network management and administration requirements.