Method and apparatus for restart communication between network elements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the restart communication between network elements are described. In one embodiment, a method for restarting communication between a first network element and a second network element in a network comprises transmitting a modified hello packet to the second network element. The modified hello packet includes a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the second network element prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the first network element becoming non-operational. The method also including updating routing information within the first network element through transmission of Complete Sequence Number Packets of the IS-IS standard to the second network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the first network element and the second network element after IS-IS network communications in the first network element have become non-operational.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for restarting communication between a first network element and a second network element in a network, the method comprising: 
 transmitting a modified hello packet to the second network element, the modified hello packet including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the second network element prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the first network element becoming non-operational; and    updating routing information within the first network element through transmission of Complete Sequence Number Packets of the IS-IS standard to the second network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the first network element and the second network element after IS-IS network communications in the first network element have become non-operational.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network includes a broadcast network configuration.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network includes a point-to-point network configuration.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified hello packet is stored in a local memory of the first network element.  
     
     
         5 . A method comprising: 
 reinitializing a transmitting network element after International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element has been non-operational, wherein the transmitting network element is a designated network element in a broadcast network configuration, the reinitializing comprising: 
 transmitting a request for routing data under the IS-IS standard to a number of receiving network elements;  
 receiving routing data from the number of receiving network elements;  
 updating routing data within the transmitting network element based on the received routing data; and  
   resuming operation upon determining that a timer for initialization has expired, independent of tearing down a communication link between the transmitting network element and the number of receiving network elements.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 transmitting modified hello packets to the number of receiving network elements, the modified hello packets including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the number of receiving network elements prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element becoming non-operational.    
     
     
         7 . A method comprising: 
 reinitializing a transmitting network element after International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element has been non-operational, wherein the transmitting network element is a network with a point-to-point network configuration, the reinitializing comprising: 
 transmitting, from the transmitting network element, Complete Sequence Number Packets (CSNPs) based on the IS-IS standard to a receiving network element in the network;  
 receiving Link State Packets (LSPs) from the receiving network element based on the CSNPs transmitted; and  
 updating routing data stored within the transmitting network element based on the received LSPs;  
   resuming IS-IS network communications in the transmitting network element upon receipt of a first hello packet from the receiving network element since starting reinitialization of the transmitting network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the transmitting network element and the receiving network element; and    resuming operation of transmitting network element upon expiration of a preset timer for initialization.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 transmitting modified hello packets to the receiving network element, the modified hello packets including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the receiving network element prior to IS-IS network communications in the transmitting network element becoming non-operational.    
     
     
         9 . A network element comprising: 
 a memory;    a heartbeat unit coupled to the memory, the hello unit to transmit a modified hello packet to a different network element in a network, wherein the modified hello packet is to be stored in the memory and is to include a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that is to be transmitted to the different network element prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the network element becoming non-operational; and    a reinitialize unit coupled to the heartbeat unit, the reinitialize unit to update routing information within the network element through transmission of Complete Sequence Number Packets of the IS-IS standard to the different network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the network element and the different network element after IS-IS network communications in the network element have become non-operational.    
     
     
         10 . The network element of  claim 9 , wherein the network includes a broadcast network configuration.  
     
     
         11 . The network element of  claim 9 , wherein the network includes a point-to-point network configuration.  
     
     
         12 . A machine-readable medium that provides instructions for restarting communication between a first network element and a second network element in a network, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 transmitting a modified hello packet to the second network element, the modified hello packet including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the second network element prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the first network element becoming non-operational; and    updating routing information within the first network element through transmission of Complete Sequence Number Packets of the IS-IS standard to the second network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the first network element and the second network element after IS-IS network communications in the first network element have become non-operational.    
     
     
         13 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the network includes a broadcast network configuration.  
     
     
         14 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the network includes a point-to-point network configuration.  
     
     
         15 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the modified hello packet is stored in a local memory of the first network element.  
     
     
         16 . A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 reinitializing a transmitting network element after International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element has been non-operational, wherein the transmitting network element is a designated network element in a broadcast network configuration, the reinitializing comprising: 
 transmitting a request for routing data under the IS-IS standard to a number of receiving network elements;  
 receiving routing data from the number of receiving network elements;  
 updating routing data within the transmitting network element based on the received routing data; and  
   resuming operation upon determining that a timer for initialization has expired, independent of tearing down a communication link between the transmitting network element and the number of receiving network elements.    
     
     
         17 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 transmitting modified hello packets to the number of receiving network elements, the modified hello packets including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the number of receiving network elements prior to International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element becoming non-operational.    
     
     
         18 . A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising: 
 reinitializing a transmitting network element after International-System-International-System (IS-IS) network communications in the transmitting network element has been non-operational, wherein the transmitting network element is a network with a point-to-point network configuration, the reinitializing comprising: 
 transmitting, from the transmitting network element, Complete Sequence Number Packets (CSNPs) based on the IS-IS standard to a receiving network element in the network;  
 receiving Link State Packets (LSPs) from the receiving network element based on the CSNPs transmitted; and  
 updating routing data stored within the transmitting network element based on the received LSPs;  
   resuming IS-IS network communications in the transmitting network element upon receipt of a first hello packet from the receiving network element since starting reinitialization of the transmitting network element, independent of tearing down a communication link between the transmitting network element and the receiving network element; and    resuming operation of transmitting network element upon expiration of a preset timer for initialization.    
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable medium of  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 transmitting modified hello packets to the receiving network element, the modified hello packets including a time value that is greater than a time value of a hello packet that was transmitted to the receiving network element prior to IS-IS network communications in the transmitting network element becoming non-operational.