Method and apparatus for selection of an endpoint device in a point to point link

The present invention relates to data communications. More specifically, it relates to the transmission of packets in a point to point communication link.

Connection oriented point-to-point communication links, such as a Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol (L 2 TP) tunnel, are an increasingly common feature of network infrastructures. Tunnels are prearranged connections established by agreement between interne service providers (ISPs). See Request for Comment (RFC) 2661 and Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L 2 TP), A. Valencia, et al., draft-ietf-pppext-12p-16.text, June 1999, herein incorporated by reference, available from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) at World Wide Web.ietf.org for more information. FIG. 1 shows an architecture 10 that illustrates two L 2 TP tunnels 56 and 66 established through a public IP network 70 . Each L 2 TP tunnel is a prearranged point to point link between remote client 20 and server 80 .

An L 2 TP tunnel provides a conduit for communications between a remote client 20 and a server 80 . Typically, a single tunnel slot provides the communication link between a client and server. However, it is increasingly common for there to be multiple tunnels providing the client-server communication link. For example, Multi-Link Point-to-Point (MLPPP) connections aggregate the bandwidth of multiple tunnel connections to provide a single higher bandwidth communication link. Also, in wireless mobile applications, a second tunnel link may be established from a tunnel initiator in the cell area that the client is entering while a first tunnel link still exists from the tunnel initiator in the cell area that the client is leaving. It is advantageous in such multiple link connections to have each link terminate on the same tunnel endpoint. However, there is no conventional way to deterministically select the endpoint for a given L 2 TP tunnel.

When remote client 20 establishes a dial-up connection 22 or 24 with a tunnel initiator (TI) 30 or 40 , then the TI typically recognizes client 20 as a tunnel client by means of an authentication protocol, such as RADIUS, see Request For Comment (RFC) 2138, herein incorporated by reference, or other means for identifying the client. Typically, each TI has a table that indicates the endpoint for the tunnel connection for client 20 . The table in each TI typically includes a list of tunnel endpoints (TEs), such as 50 and 60 for each remote client and each TI selects an endpoint from the list independent of the selection made by another TI. Similarly, TI 40 will have a table that indicates a list of endpoints for client 20 . When client 20 connects to TI 30 or 40 , then each TI will independently select a TE device. As a result, there is a high likelihood that the two tunnel connections 56 and 66 will terminate on different tunnel endpoint devices, as is shown in FIG. 1 .

Thus, the need remains for a method for terminating tunnels initiated on multiple tunnel initiators on a common tunnel endpoint.

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, some of the problems associated with routing multiple communication links to the same endpoint are overcome.

An embodiment of a method, according to the present invention, for determining an endpoint in a communications system includes receiving a connection request from a client and, responsive to the connection request, querying a database for a database entry matching the client using predetermined identifying information, where the matching database entry will include an identifier for an endpoint. Responsive to receiving a database reply including the identifier for the endpoint, the method then sets forth establishing a connection for the client to the endpoint identified in the database reply. Alternatively, responsive to not receiving a database reply, the method calls for establishing a connection for the client to a locally determined endpoint, and updating the database to include a database entry that includes the predetermined identifying information for the client and an identifier for the locally determined endpoint.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with references to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention is described in the context of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a network architecture having two prearranged tunnel connections that terminate on different endpoint devices;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a network architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention having two prearranged tunnel connections that terminate on a single endpoint device, where a database device is directly coupled to the network;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating another network architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the database is locally connected to a tunnel initiator;

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram illustrating yet another network architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention, where the database is locally shared to a cluster of tunnel initiators;

FIG. 5 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention when a client call is received for which there is no database entry;

FIG. 6 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention when a client call is received and there is a matching database entry;

FIG. 7 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention based upon multicasting when a client call is received and there is a matching database entry;

FIG. 8 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention based upon repeated multicasting when a client call is received and there is no matching database entry;

FIG. 9 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention when a call is disconnected;

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram illustrating a mobile network architecture according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a message sequence scenario illustrating an example of message traffic according to an embodiment of the present invention based upon multicasting when a client call from a mobile client is received and there is a matching database entry.

The present invention is directed toward a method for terminating multiple tunnel connections on a common tunnel endpoint.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a network architecture 100 suitable for use with the present invention. Architecture 100 includes a database 110 linked to IP network 70 for storing tunnel endpoint information for tunnel connections established for remote clients. Tunnel Initiators 130 and 140 are adapted to follow a protocol according to the present invention that requires the TIs to consult database 110 before establishing a call to a tunnel endpoint.

One example of a tunnel initiator device is a network access server, such as that described in the patent to Dale M. Walsh et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,595, which is fully incorporated by reference herein and describes an integrated network access server suitable for use in the present invention. Such a device has been commercialized widely by 3Com Corporation (previously U.S. Robotics Corp.) under the trade designation Total Control™ Enterprise Network Hub. Network access servers similar in functionality, architecture and design are available from other companies, including Ascend Communications, Livingston Enterprises, Multitech, and others. The invention is suitable for implementation in network access servers from the above companies, and other similar devices.

According to the protocol of the present invention, a TI will send an IP multicast-based query to database 110 that includes an <EDO, Username> pair. An Endpoint Discriminator (EDO) is a unique identifier for a device, such as a central processor unit identifier (CPUid) or a Medium Access Control (MAC) address. The Username is a value registered with a target Remote Access Server (RAS).

The IP multicast message will have a predetermined message type that uniquely identifies it as a database query in accordance with the present invention. IP multicasting is the transmission of an IP datagram to a “host group”, a set of zero or more hosts identified by a single IP destination address. A multicast datagram is delivered to all members of its destination host group with the same “best-efforts” reliability as regular unicast IP datagrams, i.e., the datagram is not guaranteed to arrive intact at all members of the destination group or in the same order relative to other datagrams. The membership of a host group is dynamic; that is, hosts may join and leave groups at any time. There is no restriction on the location or number of members in a host group. A host may be a member of more than one group at a time and a host need not be a member of a group to send datagrams to it.

A host group may be permanent or transient. A permanent group has a well-known, administratively assigned IP address. It is the address, not the membership of the group, that is permanent; at any time a permanent group may have any number of members, even zero. Those IP multicast addresses that are not reserved for permanent groups are available for dynamic assignment to transient groups which exist only as long as they have members. See RFC 1112 and RFC 2236 for further information regarding IP multicasting.

Database 112 will contain tuples having a format <EDO, Username, EP>, where EP is the endpoint address for a tunnel endpoint corresponding to the EDO and Username values. Responsive to the query, database 110 will return a message indicating failure, i.e. no tuple was found matching the EDO and Username values, or success. A success message will include the value of EP from the matching tuple in database 110 .

Note that while database 110 is shown as an entity connected to network 70 , the database may reside elsewhere relative to the tunnel initiator. For instance, database 110 can also reside locally on a tunnel initiator, as reflected in another embodiment of a network architecture 200 illustrated in FIG. 3 . Or, the tunnel initiator 140 A may be part of a cluster of tunnel initiators 140 A and 140 B connected via a local network 312 where the database 110 is coupled to the tunnel initiators through the local network 312 , as reflected in yet another embodiment of a network architecture 300 illustrated in FIG. 4 .

The use of IP multicasting permits the location of database 110 to be transparent to the protocol according to the present invention since the multicast message is universally broadcast and will therefore be received by the database regardless of where it is located. Also, multicasting allows database 110 to be distributed across multiple devices, since multicasting provides for the handling of multiple replies to a multicast message by discarding extraneous replies.

FIG. 5 illustrates a first scenario 330 that illustrates a sequence of messages according to the present invention that occur as a result of a request for the establishment of a first link of a tunnel, such as client 20 might send to tunnel initiator 30 over link 22 . In scenario 330 , each vertical line represents one or more entities, such as those that appear in FIGS. 2 , 3 and 4 . For example, CLIENT corresponds to client 20 , TUNNEL INITIATOR corresponds to tunnel initiator 130 , 140 , 140 A or 140 B, ENDPOINT DATABASE corresponds to endpoint database 110 , TUNNEL ENDPOINT corresponds to tunnel endpoint 50 or 60 , and SERVER corresponds to server 80 . One of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that the present invention may be applied to other configurations without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

In FIG. 5 , a multi-link point-to-point (MLPPP) call 332 from a client to a tunnel initiator causes the tunnel initiator to generate a multicast query 334 containing an EDO and USERNAME that identifies the client. The endpoint database receives the query and searches the database for a tuple having key attribute values that match the EDO and USERNAME. In scenario 330 , this is the first link for the client, so no tuple exists and the endpoint database returns a FAILURE message 336 . Alternatively, the FAILURE message 336 may be sent when the endpoint database finds that an EP ADDR field for the matching tuple is a null value indicating that no connections exist for the client.

In a multicast based alternative, the FAILURE message 336 is not sent and the endpoint database discards the query message. In the multicast alternative, the tunnel initiator retransmits the query a predetermined number of times, or times-out, and, based on the absence of a response, determines that no matching tuple exists. A multicast-based embodiment of the present invention is described in greater detail below with respect to FIG. 8 .

Once the tunnel initiator determines that no other link exists for the client, it sends a tunnel set-up message 338 to a locally determined tunnel endpoint. Once the tunnel is established, the tunnel initiator multicast a database update message 340 containing the EDO and USERNAME values for the client and the EP ADDR value for the tunnel endpoint. The endpoint database receives the update message 340 and stores the information in the matching tuple in the database. A first tunnel link is now in place for data transfer 342 from the client to the server.

FIG. 6 illustrates a scenario 350 where the same client requests a second tunnel link via MLPPP call 352 . This time, database query 354 results in the endpoint database finding the matching tuple that contains the EP ADDR of the tunnel endpoint for the first link. The endpoint database returns the EP ADDR in a success message 356 to the tunnel initiator. The tunnel initiator then uses the EP ADDR from message 356 to send tunnel set-up message 358 to the tunnel endpoint corresponding to the value of EP ADDR. This establishes a second link of a MLPPP connection between the tunnel initiator and the tunnel endpoint and the multi-link connection is now in place for data transfer 360 between the client and server.

Alternatively, the tunnel initiator according to the present invention can be configured to check a local database for the matching tuple for the client EDO and USERNAME values before sending a multicast query. Messaging scenario 370 of FIG. 7 illustrates an example of the message flow for such a tunnel initiator.

In response to a MLPPP call 372 from the client, the tunnel initiator sends a local query 374 that contains the EDO and USERNAME for the client. The local database can be resident upon the tunnel initiator, on another tunnel initiator in the same cluster, or otherwise locally accessible by the tunnel initiator receiving the MLPPP call 372 . If the local database does not find a matching tuple, then it returns a failure message 376 to the tunnel initiator which then sends out the multicast query 380 to obtain the EP ADDR value from an endpoint database residing elsewhere in the network.

Once the tunnel for the connection is set-up via message 382 , a multicast update 384 updates the non-resident endpoint database. However, the local database can also be updated so that another call set-up request from the client that is received by the tunnel initiator will result in the local query being successful.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of the protocol according to the present invention that is based upon UDP multicasting. In the FAILURE response based approach of FIG. 7 , problems can arise if requests for two links from the same client are pending at the same time. Each request can receive a FAILURE message and each tunnel initiator will locally select a tunnel endpoint, which may well result in two separate tunnel endpoints being selected.

In a multicast-based approach, each tunnel initiator retransmits a multicast query a predetermined number of times without receiving a response before concluding that no tunnel endpoint is determined for the client. If one tunnel initiator reaches its maximum number of retransmissions without a response before the other, then it will locally select a tunnel endpoint and update the tunnel endpoint table with its selection. When the other tunnel initiator retransmits its query, it will receive a reply based upon the information in the first tunnel initiator's update.

To be compatible with UDP multicasting, each server that hosts an endpoint database or a portion thereof must be configured to silently discard a multicast query for which it has no matching tuple. In scenario 390 of FIG. 8 , the tunnel initiator, in response to MLPPP call 392 , generates a predetermined number of multicast queries 394 A, 394 B and 394 C. The tunnel initiator waits a predetermined time period for a response after each query attempt.

When no response is received after the last query 394 C is sent, then the tunnel initiator determines that no tuple exists in the endpoint database, or databases, and proceeds to establish the tunnel connection using a locally determined tunnel endpoint. The tunnel initiator then sends out a multicast update 398 that updates the endpoint database or databases. With multiple databases, a subsequent multicast query with the clients EDO and USERNAME values will result in multiple responses. The tunnel initiator is configured to accommodate multiple responses by discarding the extraneous responses.

The protocol according to the present invention can also be applied to mobile networks, as mentioned above. FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a mobile architecture 410 that illustrates the application of the present invention to mobile communications. Mobile client 420 has a wireless connection 422 to tunnel initiator 430 , which is, for example, a cell site. Tunnel initiator 432 has established a connection 432 to tunnel endpoint 450 in order to communicate with server 80 .

However, when mobile user 420 leaves the service area for tunnel initiator 430 , another link 424 must be established with the tunnel initiator 440 for the service area that the mobile user is entering. It is advantageous to terminate the tunnel connection for link 424 to the same tunnel endpoint 450 as terminates tunnel connection 456 for link 422 .

In mobile IP, mobile user 420 typically senses that it has lost contact with tunnel initiator 430 when it times out waiting for an advertisement message from tunnel initiator 430 . Mobile user 420 will then look for an advertisement message 444 from a new foreign agent, tunnel initiator 440 . When mobile user 420 receives advertisement message 444 , it sends a registration message 426 that initiates set-up of link 424 and set-up of tunnel connection 466 . See RFC 2002 for further details regarding mobile IP.

When tunnel initiator 440 receives the registration message 426 , it follows the protocol according to the present invention in establishing tunnel connection 466 to tunnel endpoint 450 . FIG. 11 illustrates a scenario 490 for the protocol as applied to the mobile network architecture 410 of FIG. 10 . The registration call, 426 in FIGS. 10 and 492 in FIG. 11 , prompts tunnel initiator 440 to broadcast database query 494 containing the EDO and USERNAME of mobile user 422 . Endpoint database 110 receives the query and searches for a matching tuple. A matching tuple with the EDO, USERNAME and EP ADDR for tunnel endpoint 450 will exist in the database because tunnel initiator 430 will have sent an update to database 110 after having established tunnel connection 456 to endpoint 450 for link 422 . Endpoint database 110 will return a success message 496 containing the EP ADDR for tunnel endpoint 450 and tunnel initiator 440 will establish tunnel connection 466 with endpoint 450 .

Tear-down of connections and clean up of entries in endpoint database 110 can occur in a variety of ways. Database entries may include a timestamp that provides for entries to be removed from the database after a pre-determined time period. Database entries may also be removed responsive to a tear-down message from the tunnel initiators or tunnel endpoint or, in the case of mobile IP, through a de-registration message. In the latter case, the message will include a unique tear-down message type along with an identifier for the database entry, such as the EDO/USERNAME combination or a mobile identification number (MIN).

The protocol according to the present invention supports the deterministic selection of an endpoint for connections having multiple origination points. Although the present invention is described in the context of an L 2 TP tunnel and a mobile connection, the present invention is applicable to any communications link where it is desirable to terminate connections from multiple origins to the same endpoint.

It should be understood that the programs, processes, methods, systems and apparatus described herein are not related or limited to any particular type of computer apparatus (hardware or software), unless indicated otherwise. Various types of general purpose or specialized computer apparatus may be used along with the present invention or perform operations in accordance with the teachings described herein.

In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the principles of the invention can be applied, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention. For example, the messages of the message flow scenarios may be taken in sequences other than those described, and more or fewer elements or components may be used in the block diagrams. In addition, the present invention can be practiced with software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.