Deterministic session load-balancing and redundancy of access servers in a computer network

摘要

In one embodiment, for each port of an access node in an access-based computer network, one access server of a plurality of access servers is configured as a preferred access server for that port. Upon receiving a session initiation message at a particular port, the access node forwards the session initiation message to one or more of the access servers based on the configured preferred access server for the particular port.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by an access node, a session initiation message from a client device on a first network interface located on a client device side of the access node, the session initiation message to initiate a session from the client device to one of a plurality of access servers located on an access device side of the access node; modifying, by the access node, the session initiation message to include a port identifier corresponding to the first network interface; forwarding, by the access node, the modified session initiation message that includes the port identifier to the plurality of access servers located on the access device side of the access node; receiving at least a first response to the modified session initiation message from a first access server from the plurality of access servers; and in response to a determination that the first response received from the first access server was received prior to responses to the modified session initiation message from other access servers from the plurality of access servers, storing, at the access node, an access server identifier for the first access server to identify the first access server as a preferred access server for the port identifier.