Patent ID: 7411925

Claim:
A method for preserving mobility network connections in a route processor having first and second processors for performing routing functions, the method comprising using the first processor to establish connections through tunnels associated with devices in the mobility network; recording a plurality of route events as a plurality of states, the route events received from the mobility network for route events associated with devices, wherein a protocol action is identified as a route event; initiating a switchover from the first processor to the second processor; using the plurality of states to reproduce forwarding information and program hardware for the second processor, wherein a state in the plurality of states include an authentication state associated with an authentication event; reconnecting control messaging to maintain the tunnels associated with the devices; and using the second processor and the reproduced forwarding information to preserve the mobility network connections through the tunnels subsequent to initiating a switchover, wherein reconnecting the control messaging comprises preserving authentication information for the devices such that the devices do not have to re-authenticate subsequent to the switchover.