System, apparatus and method for providing aggregated network connections

Abstract

The invention discloses a network aggregation system, apparatus and method for creating aggregated network connections to provide high availability and increased throughput where the plurality of network connections may possess diverse physical and logical characteristics. Increased throughput on the aggregated network connection equals the sum of the available throughput on the aggregated network connections. Aggregation is performed in a transparent fashion, independent of any physical or logical characteristics of the individual connections. Network connectivity over the aggregated connection is managed such that the loss or gain of connectivity in an individual connection among the aggregated group does not result in the loss of data from the data stream aggregation device.

1 . An apparatus for managing the transfer of communication traffic over one or more diverse network connections, the apparatus characterized by:
 a network aggregation means operable to configure the one or more diverse network connections as an aggregated group defining an aggregated connection having a transfer rate defined by an aggregate group transfer rate associated with the available transfer rates of the one or more diverse network connections, the network aggregation means being further operable to transfer communication traffic between a further connection and the aggregated connection.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized in that the network aggregation means is operable independent of the various underlying network connections and is thereby operable to configure the aggregated connection as a single autonomous connection. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , characterized in that the network aggregation means further includes:
 a. an aggregation engine operable to manage the distribution of the communication traffic received both to and from the aggregated connection; and   b. a concentrating means operable to configure and terminate the single autonomous connection for the purpose of processing and delivery of the communication traffic to and from the network aggregation means.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized in that the aggregated connection has a communication traffic capacity equal to the sum of the configured maximum throughput of the one or more diverse network connections. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  characterized in that no configuration by a network provider is required for aggregation of a network connection into the aggregated network connection. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  characterized in that the plurality of network connections used to create the aggregated connection may be comprised of any broadband network connection such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) communications links, Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), Integrated Services Digital Network, Multi protocol Label Switching, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), and Ethernet, etc. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized in that the network aggregation means is implemented using hardware components, software components, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized in that the network aggregation engine configures the aggregated connection such that the aggregated connection is redefined when one or more of the diverse connections has characteristics that change from being within an acceptable tolerance to exceeding the acceptable tolerance or has characteristics that change from being outside the acceptable tolerance to coming within the acceptable tolerance. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , characterized in that the aggregated connection enables the transfer of communication traffic to the further network connection as long as one of the one or more diverse network connections is available. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , characterized in that the throughput of the aggregated connection is redefined based upon the throughput of the available diverse network connections 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , characterized in that the network aggregation means is operable to redefine the aggregated connection without any loss of communication traffic. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , characterized in that the communication traffic includes existing real-time applications sessions such as voice, video, or data traffic. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , characterized in that connection specific parameters are not required. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized in that the aggregation engine and the aggregation traffic termination engine handle segmentation of packets defined by a communications transfer protocol. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , characterized in that the communications transfer protocol is a transfer control protocol/internet protocol. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , characterized in that the network aggregation means assigns a sequence identifier to each packet transmitted through the aggregated connection to maintain the ordering of communication traffic units over the aggregated connection. 
     
     
         17 . A method for managing the transfer of communication traffic over one or more diverse network connections, the method characterized by the steps of:
 (a) by means of a network aggregation device, configuring the one or more diverse network connections as an aggregated group thereby defining an aggregated connection having a transfer rate defined by an aggregate group transfer rate associated with the available transfer rates of the one or more diverse network connections; and   (b) transferring communication traffic between a further network connection and the aggregated connection.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , characterized in that the network aggregation means is operable independent of the various underlying network connections, the method comprising the further step of configuring the aggregated connection as a single autonomous connection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , characterized by the further step of selectively configuring or terminating the single autonomous connection for the purpose of processing and delivery of the communication traffic to and from the network aggregation means. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  characterized in that the method enables autonomous aggregation for network connections independent of the characteristics of the network connections such as latency, jitter and architecture. 
     
     
         21 . A system characterized by:
 one or more components configured to manage the transfer of communication traffic over one or more diverse network connections, the one or more components defining, including or being linked to a network aggregation means operable to configure the one or more diverse network connections as an aggregated group defining an aggregated connection having a transfer rate defined by an aggregate group transfer rate associated with the available transfer rates of the one or more diverse network connections, the network aggregation means being further operable to transfer communication traffic between a further connection and the aggregated connection.