Methods and systems for providing a failover circuit for rerouting logical circuit data

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided to provide a failover circuit for rerouting logical circuit data. In accordance with an example method, an alternate communication path to route data for a logical circuit is identified. The logical circuit includes a communication path through first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier between the first and second local access and transport areas. A currently unused logical circuit is selected to communicate the data over the alternate communication path. The currently unused logical circuit traverses a failover network to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier. The currently unused logical circuit is designated as a failover circuit to reroute the data for the logical circuit.

1 . A method to provide a failover circuit to reroute logical circuit data, the method comprising:
 identifying an alternate communication path to route data for a logical circuit, the logical circuit including a communication path through first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier between the first and second local access and transport areas;   selecting a currently unused logical circuit to communicate the data over the alternate communication path, the currently unused logical circuit traversing a failover network to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier; and   designating the currently unused logical circuit as a failover circuit to reroute the data for the logical circuit.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the alternate communication path to route the data for the logical circuit comprises:
 identifying a logical identifier for the logical circuit;   based on the logical identifier, determining a first end and a second end of the logical circuit; and   identifying the alternate communication path including the first end and the second end of the logical circuit.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the logical identifier is a virtual path/virtual circuit identifier (VPI/VCI). 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the alternate communication path comprises identifying a network-to-network interface connecting the first local access and transport area to a second inter-exchange carrier. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the failover network includes the second inter-exchange carrier, a third local access and transport area, and a third inter-exchange carrier to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the failover circuit is a permanent virtual circuit. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the failover circuit is a switched virtual circuit. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the logical circuit and the currently unused logical circuit are packet-based circuits. 
   
   
       9 . A system to provide a failover circuit to reroute logical circuit data, the system comprising:
 a network management module to:
 identify an alternate communication path to route data for a logical circuit, the logical circuit including a communication path through first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier between the first and second local access and transport areas; 
 instruct the logical element module to provision an inactive logical circuit to communicate the data over the alternate communication path, the inactive logical circuit traversing a failover network to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier; and 
 designate the inactive logical circuit as a failover circuit to reroute the data for the logical circuit; and 
   the logical element module in communication with the network management module, the logical element module to:
 in response to instructions received from the network management module, automatically access and program ports in switches of the first local access and transport area to provision the inactive logical circuit. 
   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the network management module is to identify the alternate communication path to route the data for the logical circuit by:
 identifying a logical identifier for the logical circuit;   based on the logical identifier, determining a first end and a second end of the logical circuit; and   identifying the alternate communication path including the first end and the second end of the logical circuit.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the logical identifier is a virtual path/virtual circuit identifier (VPI/VCI). 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the network management module is to identify the alternate communication path by identifying a network-to-network interface connecting the first local access and transport area to a second inter-exchange carrier. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the failover network includes the second inter-exchange carrier, a third local access and transport area, and a third inter-exchange carrier to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the failover circuit is a permanent virtual circuit. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the logical circuit and the inactive logical circuit are packet-based circuits. 
   
   
       16 . A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:
 identify an alternate communication path to route data for a logical circuit, the logical circuit including a communication path through first and second local access and transport areas and an inter-exchange carrier between the first and second local access and transport areas;   select a currently unused logical circuit to communicate the data over the alternate communication path, the currently unused logical circuit traversing a failover network to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier; and   designate the currently unused logical circuit as a failover circuit to reroute the data for the logical circuit.   
   
   
       17 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to identify the alternate communication path to route the data for the logical circuit by:
 identifying a logical identifier for the logical circuit;   based on the logical identifier, determining a first end and a second end of the logical circuit; and   identifying the alternate communication path including the first end and the second end of the logical circuit.   
   
   
       18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the logical identifier is a virtual path/virtual circuit identifier (VPI/VCI). 
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 16  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to identify the alternate communication path by identifying a network-to-network interface connecting the first local access and transport area to a second inter-exchange carrier. 
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the failover network includes the second inter-exchange carrier, a third local access and transport area, and a third inter-exchange carrier to reroute the data around the inter-exchange carrier.