Patent ID: 8432791

Claim:
A network device for managing a communication over a network, comprising: a transceiver that receives packets addressed to a Virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) address, wherein the VIP address is assigned to the network device and to another network device; and a processor that is configured to perform actions, including: executing a route injection component that is programmed to perform actions comprising: determining a routing priority for the network device; advertising the routing priority and the VIP address to a single, centralized router, wherein the router separately receives routing priorities from each of the network device and the other network device using the same VIP address; determining if a failover criteria is substantially satisfied; if the failover criteria is substantially satisfied, updating the routing priority and advertising the updated routing priority to the router; and in response to detecting a change in a failover change condition, automatically modifying the failover criteria based on a detected security condition defining in part the failover change condition, wherein the modified failover criteria effects a change in the determined routing priority for the network device when the modified failover criteria is substantially satisfied and wherein the failover change condition is not part of the failover criteria determined to be substantially satisfied.