Patent ID: 8086749
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method, comprising: receiving a particular inbound data packet of a first data link protocol, the particular inbound packet including particular header data and a payload of the first data link protocol, wherein the payload of the first data link protocol contains point-to-point protocol (PPP) data plane data from particular PPP data traffic, the particular header data including an identification of a particular media access control (MAC) address; receiving another inbound data packet of a second data link protocol different from the data packet of the first data link protocol, the other inbound packet including other header data and a payload of the second data link protocol, the other header data including an identification of the particular MAC address, wherein the payload of the second data link protocol contains particular PPP control plane data from the particular PPP data traffic, wherein the particular and other inbound data packets were generated by splitting the PPP data traffic; determining that an elapsed time since a latter of the particular and other inbound data packets was received exceeds a threshold time; sending other PPP control data in a particular data link protocol payload that is encapsulated in an outbound data packet with an Ethernet destination field that indicates the particular MAC address, wherein the other PPP control data indicates a request for an echo; and determining that a data packet with the particular MAC address in an Ethernet source field is received within a particular time interval, wherein receiving the data packet within the particular time interval is used as a basis for presuming that a persistent session is active and prompts a new time window to be initiated for determining whether the persistent session continues to be active.