Patent ID: 9338055
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: G06F,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method of upgrading a virtual router comprising at least a first and a second physical router, the method comprising: disabling the first physical router such that data paths previously flowing through one or more linecards in the first physical router flow through one or more linecards in the second physical router; after upgrading the first physical router, starting a first routing application on the first physical router, wherein the second physical router is configured to forward received control plane packets associated with the first routing application to the first physical router; receiving, at the first physical router, routing information identifying user devices connected to a remote network device; after resolving data routes for transferring data traffic to the user devices connected to the remote network device based on the routing information, disabling the second physical router such that data paths previously flowing through the one or more linecards in the second physical router flow through the one or more linecards the first physical router; and after upgrading the second physical router, rejoining the control planes of the first and second physical routers such that the first and second physical routers share a common control plane and route data simultaneously.