Dynamic mirroring of a network connection

摘要

Methods and systems are directed to dynamically mirroring a connection between network devices. Mirroring is managed by forwarding a packet between a first network device and a second network device. In one method, the first network device receives the packet from a client and communicates the packet to the second network device. A forwarding device, pre-determined from the first and second network devices, forwards the packet to a server. The first network device receives a response from the server, and communicates it to the second network device. The forwarding device forwards the response packet to the client. In one configuration, the first network device and forwarding device is an active device, and the second network device is a standby device. In another configuration, the first network device is a standby device, and the second network device and forwarding device is an active device.

主权项

1. A network device, comprising:
a transceiver arranged to receive and forward a packet; a processor, coupled to the transceiver, that is configured to perform actions, including:
receiving a packet from a client device, wherein the packet is sent exclusively towards the network device by the client device over at least one connection;employing information from the packet to maintain a state for the at least one connection;when a second network device is brought on-line as a standby network device to the network device, providing to the second network device pre-determined information about connections managed by the network device and the state of the at least one connection to enable the second network device to construct an equivalent state of at least one managed connection of the first device, and otherwise, communicating the packet to the second network device;when the network device is a forwarding device, exclusively forwarding the packet towards a server device;receiving a response packet;when the response packet is received from the server device, communicating the response packet to the second network device; andwhen the network device is the forwarding device, exclusively forwarding the response packet towards the client device.