Patent ID: 7835271
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: H04J,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for use in at least one node of a data communication network for recovering from a failure, wherein the data communication network includes multiple nodes and multiple links for connecting the multiple nodes, comprising the steps of: obtaining notification of the failure at the at least one node; and implementing a pre-configured protection cycle plan in response to the failure wherein the at least one node performs at least one signaling operation with at least another node identified as part of a first proposed restoration in the pre-configured protection cycle plan such that a resource of the at least another node is reserved for use in the first proposed restoration prior to using the resource to implement the first proposed restoration; wherein the at least one signaling operation comprises: (i) the at least one node sending a first signal to the at least another node requesting that the resource of the at least another node he reserved for use in the first proposed restoration, and (ii) the at least one node receiving a second signal from the at least another node responsive to the first signal; wherein a contention due to one of a node failure or multiple link failures in the network is detected responsive to the second signal comprising an indication that the resource of the at least another node is already reserved for use in a restoration other than the first proposed restoration; wherein the first proposed restoration is not implemented when the contention due to one of a node failure or multiple link failures in the network is detected; wherein the at least one node sends a third signal to the at least another node responsive to the second signal comprising an indication that the resource of the at least another node has been successfully reserved for use in the first proposed restoration; and wherein the at least another node uses the reserved resource to implement the first proposed restoration responsive to the third signal.