Patent ID: 9692690
Date: 2017-06-27
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A method implemented in a network device coupled to a software-defined networking (SDN) system, wherein the SDN system contains a set of network devices and a SDN controller managing the set of network devices, the method comprising: receiving, at the network device, a packet from the SDN controller to monitor a path for a service between the network device and another network device; sending the packet to at least a first and a second port, wherein a first instance of the packet is transmitted to the first port to the other network device to monitor the path, and wherein a second instance of the packet is transmitted to the second port that loops back the second instance of the packet to the network device at a transmission interval so that the packet is sent to the first port repetitively at the transmission interval; determining whether the packet is received by the network device from the other network device within a timeout interval; and discarding the packet upon determination that the packet is received by the network device within the timeout interval.