System and Method for Providing a Fate Sharing Identifier in a Network Environment

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes, at a first call agent, receiving from a first endpoint, a first identifier associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint. The method also includes receiving from a second call agent associated with a second endpoint, a second identifier associated with communication sessions involving the second endpoint. The method may also include generating a combined identifier associated with communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint. The combined identifier is generated from a combination of the first identifier and the second identifier. The method further includes reserving network resources associated with the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 at a first call agent, receiving from a first endpoint, a first identifier associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint;   receiving from a second call agent associated with a second endpoint, a second identifier associated with communication sessions involving the second endpoint;   generating a combined identifier associated with communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the combined identifier is generated from a combination of the first identifier and the second identifier; and   reserving network resources associated with the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprise at least a first data flow from the first endpoint to the second endpoint and at least a second data flow from the second endpoint to the first endpoint. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising purging the first data flow and the second data flow in response to a notification that the network resources are congested. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the combined identifier is generated by a concatenation operation of the first identifier and the second identifier or by an XOR operation of the first identifier and the second identifier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first call agent and the second call agent operate in a back to back user agent (B2BUA) model. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving from a third call agent, a third identifier associated with communication sessions involving a third endpoint; and
 sending the first identifier to the third call agent.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising generating a new combined identifier associated with communications sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint, wherein the new combined identifier is generated from the first identifier and the third identifier; and
 reserving new network resources associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint.   
     
     
         8 . Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory computer readable media that includes code for execution in a first call agent, and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:
 receiving from a first endpoint, a first identifier associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint;   receiving from a second call agent associated with a second endpoint, a second identifier associated with communication sessions involving the second endpoint;   generating a combined identifier associated with communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the combined identifier is generated from a combination of the first identifier and the second identifier; and   reserving network resources associated with the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint.   
     
     
         9 . The logic of  claim 8 , wherein the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprise at least a first data flow from the first endpoint to the second endpoint and at least a second data flow from the second endpoint to the first endpoint. 
     
     
         10 . The logic of  claim 9 , wherein the code for execution in the first call agent further causes the processor to purge the first data flow and the second data flow in response to a notification that the network resources are congested. 
     
     
         11 . The logic of  claim 8 , wherein the first call agent and the second call agent operate in a back to back user agent (B2BUA) model. 
     
     
         12 . The logic of  claim 8 , wherein the code for execution in the first call agent further causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving from a third call agent, a third identifier associated with communication sessions involving a third endpoint; and   
       sending the first identifier to the third call agent. 
     
     
         13 . The logic of  claim 12 , wherein the code for execution in the first call agent further causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
 generating a new combined identifier associated with communications sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint, wherein the new combined identifier is generated from the first identifier and the third identifier; and   reserving new network resources associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory element to store code;   a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the code; and   a resource reservation protocol server to interface with the memory element and the processor to cause a first call agent in the apparatus to:
 receive from a first endpoint, a first identifier associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint; 
 receive from a second call agent associated with a second endpoint, a second identifier associated with communication sessions involving the second endpoint; 
 generate a combined identifier associated with communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the combined identifier is generated from a combination of the first identifier and the second identifier; and 
 reserve network resources associated with the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint. 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the communication sessions involving both the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprise at least a first data flow from the first endpoint to the second endpoint and at least a second data flow from the second endpoint to the first endpoint. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein operations of the first call agent further comprise purging the first data flow and the second data flow in response to a notification that the network resources are congested. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the resource reservation protocol server generates the combined identifier by a concatenation operation of the first identifier and the second identifier or by an XOR operation of the first identifier and the second identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first call agent and the second call agent operate in a back to back user agent (B2BUA) model. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operations of the first call agent further comprise:
 receiving from a third call agent, a third identifier associated with communication sessions involving a third endpoint; and   sending the first identifier to the third call agent.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the operations of the first call agent further comprise:
 generating a new combined identifier associated with communications sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint, wherein the new combined identifier is generated from the first identifier and the third identifier; and   reserving new network resources associated with communication sessions involving the first endpoint and the third endpoint.