| 摘要 |
A method for implementing redundancy of both links and ports between two switches, e.g., ATM switches. A redundant link connection between two ATM switches is constructed using two separate parallel communication links connected between separate ports on each of the switches. One communication link is termed the main link and the other is termed the backup link. Two virtual circuits are setup between the backup link ports. One is a direct virtual circuit directed over the backup link. The other is an indirect virtual circuit that is routed over the main link via the main link ports. A virtual circuit is also setup over the main link for regular data traffic. In addition, a standby virtual circuit is setup over the backup link but is placed in standby until the occurrence of a failure. Until a failure occurs, traffic normally proceeds over the main link while the backup link ports transmit keep alive messages to each other over the indirect virtual circuit that is routed over the main link. When the main link fails, either one or both of the backup link ports detects the failure. The data traffic is then switched from the main link to the backup link. The failure is detected by the failure of the backup link ports to receive keep alive messages.
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