Patent ID: 7453797
Filing Date: 2008-11-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: configuring a network element to include multiple sets of redundant control plane components, each redundant set including an active component and a standby component; monitoring for a failure of an active control plane software component comprising a control plane protocol module running on a control plane card (“controller CPPM”) to perform a routing or switching protocol operation, the controller CPPM to work in conjunction with a control plane protocol module implemented on a data plane element (“worker CCPM”) to facilitate operation of the routing or switching protocol operation; automatically reconfiguring the network element to employ a corresponding standby controller CPPM in place of the active controller CPPM during failure; maintaining state change information that occurs at the worker CPPM while the controller CPPM is unavailable; queuing messages including the state change information, wherein the worker CPPM determines which messages are to be queued; and providing the queued messages to the controller CPPM.