Patent ID: 7903546

Claim:
A method, comprising: a first data processing node hosting at least one transport protocol connection that uses a plurality of sequence values to identify messages sent to a peer node, wherein the first node is communicatively coupled to a second data processing node serving as a redundant backup, periodically sending a checkpoint sequence value to the second node for each transport protocol connection of the at least one transport protocol connection; wherein the checkpoint sequence value is a valid sequence value for identifying messages sent over said each transport protocol connection; wherein the checkpoint sequence value is initially set equal to a maximum sequence value allowed for a window of sequence values associated with the transport protocol connection; wherein one or more of the at least one transport protocol connection is marked for a fast notification capability; the second node detecting, based on the one or more of the transport protocol connections marked for said fast notification capability, that either a particular transport protocol connection or a process using the particular transport protocol connection is unavailable, without use of a timeout; and the second node determining whether the particular transport protocol connection is marked for said fast notification capability; in response to detecting that the particular transport protocol connection is unavailable and in response to determining that the particular transport protocol connection is marked for said fast notification capability, the second node sending a notification to the peer node, wherein the notification is a notification message that is identified by the checkpoint sequence value; wherein said notification message is used to re-synchronize to a correct current sequence number for the particular transport protocol connection with the peer node.