Patent · US Expired

System and method for routing network traffic through weighted zones

US7480735B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
9References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 11, 2003
Grant dateJan 20, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L45/46
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for routing between nodes in a network or subnet. An end node is associated with multiple identifiers for routing purposes, and therefore multiple paths may exist between two end nodes. Network nodes and components (e.g., switches) are grouped into fault zones. Each physical enclosure of network entities may comprise a separate fault zone. For each zone through which a path between two nodes passes, a weight is calculated equal to the number of paths between the nodes that traverse that zone. Path weights are calculated for each path between the nodes, equal to the sum of the weights of each zone in the path. To improve network fault tolerance, new paths may be designed to avoid fault zones and existing paths with high weights. Instead of fault zones, other criteria may be used to assign weights, such as mean time between failures (MTBF), cost, speed, etc.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.