Multiplex communications – Fault recovery – Bypass an inoperative switch or inoperative element of a...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-08-28
Nguyen, Chau (Department: 2663)
Multiplex communications
Fault recovery
Bypass an inoperative switch or inoperative element of a...
C370S228000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282169
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to network bandwidth management service. In particular, this invention relates to a serial redundant bypass control mechanism for maintaining network bandwidth management service upon failure of a bandwidth management control module.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Market entry and customer share have always been a key focus for network service providers. In the past, network service providers offered flat fees for unlimited bandwidth usage and guaranteed uninterrupted intenet service to entice new customers. To accommodate increasing internet traffic and guarantee uninterrupted service, network service providers would increase the bandwidth up to 50% more than was actually needed. While customers were happy, it was not long before network service providers realized that they would not be able to stay in business by offering a flat fee bandwidth supply cost structure to all subscribing customers regardless of actual customer usage. Network service providers needed a viable method of measuring and charging customers for actual bandwidth usage, thus the advent of real-time network bandwidth management service.
Real-time network bandwidth management service has become very important to network service providers. Internet Service Providers (ISP's) rely on real-time network bandwidth management service to monitor usage accounting and customer billing, to obtain usage and capacity scheduling information for planning future growth of the network, and to analyze unusual bandwidth patterns which may signify problems with the server or the ISP's equipment. Corporate Information Technology (IT) departments rely on real-time network bandwidth management service to control bandwidth expenses by monitoring usage pattern and behavior. Independent service providers rely on information obtained from real-time network bandwidth management service to design service level agreements (SLA's) and associated tariff structures to maximize profits. Furthermore, customers demand accountability for the access bandwidth charges by their ISP's.
Various techniques for real-time network bandwidth management service have been deployed with varying degrees of success. One technique is to modify the application bandwidth inside a network server. Another technique is to modify a network router with a Quality of Service (QOS) scheme. These methods are only marginally effective and offer limited performance because they use existing platforms optimized for other applications. A more popular technique utilizes a separate network bandwidth management control unit placed between a network router and switch. The separate network bandwidth management control unit is specifically designed to monitor customer bandwidth usage. However, the problem with this technique is that failure of the network bandwidth management control unit will cause an interrupt in customer network access and loss of customer bandwidth management data.
Considering the importance of network bandwidth management service information to network service providers and their customers, any interruption in network service or loss of network bandwidth management data could be very costly. A current method for avoiding network interruption due to failure of a bandwidth management control unit utilizes a bypass switch mechanism which bypasses the bandwidth management control unit and connects the network signal directly from the network router to the network switch. Although this prior art method avoids the problem of network access interruption, it does not resolve the problem of losing the critical network bandwidth management data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for network bandwidth management that substantially eliminates or reduces disadvantages and problems associated with previously developed bandwidth management systems and methods. In particular, this invention relates to a serial redundant bypass control mechanism for maintaining network bandwidth management service in the event a bandwidth management control module fails.
More specifically, the present invention provides a serial redundant bypass control mechanism for maintaining network bandwidth management data upon failure of the bandwidth management control module. The serial redundant bypass control mechanism for maintaining network bandwidth management service includes a first and second bypass control module, a first and second bandwidth management control module, and a first bypass connector line connecting the first bypass control module to the second bypass control module. Under normal conditions, a network signal is received at the first bypass control module and transported to the first bandwidth management control module. The first bandwidth management control module performs bandwidth management services on the network signal and transports the network signal back to the first bypass control module. The first bypass control module then transports the network signal to the second bypass control module along the first bypass connector line. Next, the second bypass control module transports the network signal to the second bandwidth management control module. Since bandwidth management services have already been performed on the network signal, the second bandwidth management control module transports the network signal back to the second bypass control module. The second bypass control module then outputs the network signal.
If the first bandwidth management control module fails, the network signal is received at the first bypass control module and transported directly to the second bypass control module along the first bypass connector line, thus bypassing the failed first bandwidth management control module. The network signal is then transported to the second bandwidth management control module where bandwidth management services are performed. The second bandwidth management control module then transports the network signal back to the second bypass control module and outputs the network signal.
The present invention provides an important technical advantage by providing a serial redundant bypass control mechanism which ensures uninterrupted customer network access.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a serial redundant bypass control mechanism for maintaining network bandwidth management service upon failure of a bandwidth management control module.
The present invention provides another important technical advantage by providing a serial redundant bypass control mechanism which allows a failed bandwidth management control unit to be replaced without interrupting network access or network bandwidth management service.
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Amplify.net Inc.
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP
Nguyen Chau
Nguyen Phuongchau Ba
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