Self-healing communications network

摘要

Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for detecting and removing unwanted loops in communications networks having host processors, nodes, and segments connecting the nodes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a set of steady state data regarding direction of a network traffic flow is collected and stored. Then, a newly sampled flow is compared with the stored steady state data to detect flows whose paths contradict their steady state direction, and a network loop is identified when a segment carries such contradictory flows.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving information regarding a direction of data flow in a network; receiving information regarding a direction of data flow in steady state from a memory component, wherein the network is loop free in the steady state; determining whether the direction of the data flow in the network contradicts the direction of data flow in steady state; identifying a presence of a closed loop in the network in response to a contradiction between the direction of data flow in the network and the direction of data flow in the steady state; sampling data flow in the network over a period of time, wherein the sampling identifies a direction of a further data flow; determining whether a rate of the further data flow in a same direction as in the steady state is decreasing over the period of time; determining whether a rate of the further data flow in opposite direction as in the steady state is increasing over the period of time; and determining that the network is closed loop free in response to determining that the rate of the further data flow in the same direction is decreasing and that the rate of the further data flow in the opposite direction is increasing.