Systems and methods for providing redundancy in communications networks

Abstract

A system includes a first network device and a second network device. The first network device includes a group of first logical portions and is configured to detect a problem with one of the first logical portions, and transmit a message identifying the one first logical portion. The second network device includes a group of second logical portions, where the group of second logical portions corresponds to the group of first logical portions. The second network device is configured to receive the message from the first network device, and activate the one second logical portion corresponding to the one first logical portion in response to receiving the message.

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a virtual security device, whether any resources, in a set of resources associated with a first network device, are unreachable;   identifying, by the virtual security device, weights associated with the resources, in the set of resources, that are unreachable;   accumulating, by the virtual security device, the weights associated with the unreachable resources to obtain an accumulated value; and   failing over only the set of resources of the first network device to a second network device when the accumulated value equals or exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , where failing over only the set of resources of the first network device includes:
 failing over only a particular logical portion of the first network device to the second network device.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , where failing over only the set of resources of the first network device includes:
 not failing over another set of resources, of the first network device, to another network device.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , where the set of resources comprises at least one of:
 one or more interfaces, or   one or more network addresses.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , where a particular interface, of the one or more interfaces, connects the virtual security device to a network. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , where a particular network address, of the one or more network addresses, is a network address of a particular device associated with a network to which the virtual security device is connected. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , where the set of resources comprises:
 a zone of interfaces that comprises two or more interfaces, of the one or more interfaces.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 monitoring the set of resources, where monitoring a particular resource, in the set of resources, includes:
 periodically transmitting a ping request to the particular resource, and 
 determining whether a ping was received, from the particular resource, in response to the ping request; and 
   where identifying that the particular resource is unreachable comprises:
 determining that a ping was not received, from the particular resource and in response to a ping request, at least a threshold number of times. 
   
     
     
         41 . A computer-readable memory device having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, the computer-readable instructions comprising:
 instructions to identify whether any resources, in a set of resources associated with a first network device, are unreachable;   instructions to identify weights associated with the resources, in the set of resources, that are unreachable;   instructions to accumulate the weights associated with the unreachable resources to obtain an accumulated value; and   instructions to fail over only the set of resources of the first network device to a second network device when the accumulated value equals or exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         42 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 41 , where the instructions to fail over only the set of resources of the first network device include:
 instructions to fail over only a particular logical portion of the first network device to the second network device.   
     
     
         43 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 41 , where the instructions to fail over only the set of resources of the first network device include:
 instructions to forego failing over another set of resources, of the first network device, to another network device.   
     
     
         44 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 41 , where the set of resources comprises at least one of:
 one or more interfaces, or   one or more network addresses.   
     
     
         45 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 44 , where the instructions are executed by a virtual security device, where a particular interface, of the one or more interfaces, connects the virtual security device to a network. 
     
     
         46 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 44 , where the instructions are executed by a virtual security device, where a particular network address, of the one or more network addresses, is a network address of a particular device associated with a network to which the virtual security device is connected. 
     
     
         47 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 44 , where the set of resources comprises:
 a zone of interfaces that comprises two or more interfaces, of the one or more interfaces.   
     
     
         48 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 41 , further comprising:
 instructions to monitor the set of resources, where the instructions to monitor a particular resource, in the set of resources, include:
 instructions to periodically transmit a ping request to the particular resource, and 
 instructions to determine whether a ping was received, from the particular resource, in response to the ping request; and 
   where the instructions to identify that the particular resource is unreachable comprise:
 instructions to determine that a ping was not received, from the particular resource and in response to a ping request, at least a threshold number of times. 
   
     
     
         49 . A device, comprising:
 a memory to store computer-executable instructions, and   one or more processors to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
 identify whether any resources, in a set of resources associated with a first network device, are unreachable; 
 identify weights associated with the resources, in the set of resources, that are unreachable; 
 accumulate the weights associated with the unreachable resources to obtain an accumulated value; and 
 fail over only the set of resources of the first network device to a second network device when the accumulated value equals or exceeds a threshold. 
   
     
     
         50 . The device of  claim 49 , where when failing over only the set of resources of the first network device, the one or more processors are to:
 fail over only a particular logical portion of the first network device to the second network device.   
     
     
         51 . The device of  claim 49 , where when failing over only the set of resources of the first network device, the one or more processors are to:
 foregoing failing over another set of resources, of the first network device, to another network device.   
     
     
         52 . The device of  claim 49 , where the set of resources comprises at least one of:
 one or more interfaces, or   one or more network addresses.