Patent ID: 7319665
Filing Date: 2008-01-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting routing protocol modules that are malfunctioning in a distributed router, the distributed router including at least a first switch module having a first designate routing protocol module, a first input/output processor having a first routing protocol module, and a second input/output processor having a second routing protocol module, said method comprising the steps of: determining when a transmission cycle expires; when the transmission cycle expires, transmitting a first hello packet from the first routing protocol module to the second routing protocol module; when the second routing protocol module is not malfunctioning, sending a first hello response packet from the second routing protocol module to the first routing protocol module in response to the first hello packet; and when the second routing protocol module does not send the first hello response packet to the first routing protocol module in response to the first hello packet, determining that the second routing protocol module is malfunctioning and transmitting information to the first designate routing protocol module, the information indicating that the second routing protocol module is malfunctioning.