Systems and methods for ip session keepalive using bfd protocols

Abstract

A network device may include logic to establish an IP session, establish a BFD session within the established IP session, transmit BFD packets within the established BFD session, and determine that the established IP session is active based upon reception of the BFD packets. In another embodiment, the logic may also determine that an IP session is active using an inactivity timer that may also trigger transmission of BFD packets.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method comprising:
 detecting, by a first device, an expiration of a timer;   transmitting, by the first device and based on the expiration of the timer, one or more first packets to a second device in a session established between the first device and the second device;   determining, by the first device, if one or more second packets are received from the second device;   determining, by the first device and when the one or more second packets are not received from the second device, that the session is not active; and   transmitting, by the first device, data based on determining that the session is not active.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , where, when transmitting the data, the method further includes:
 transmitting a notification to an administrator that notifies the administrator that the session is not active.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , where, when transmitting the data, the method further includes:
 transmitting one or more additional packets to the second device to renew the session.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 determining, by the first device and when the one or more second packets are received from the second device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 determining, by the first device and when one or more additional packets are received from a third device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , where the timer is associated with a polling period, the method further comprising:
 automatically transmitting the one or more first packets upon the expiration of the polling period.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , where the one or more first packets are Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) packets and the one or more second packets are BFD Echo packets. 
     
     
         32 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:
 one or more instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
 detect an expiration of a timer; 
 transmit, based on the expiration of the timer, one or more first packets to a second device in a session established between the first device and the second device; 
 determine if one or more second packets are received from the second device; 
 determine, when the one or more second packets are not received from the second device, that the session is not active; and 
 transmit data based on determining that the session is not active. 
   
     
     
         33 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , where the one or more instructions to transmit the data include:
 one or more instructions to transmit a notification to an administrator that notifies the administrator that the session is not active.   
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , where the one or more instructions to transmit the data include:
 one or more instructions to transmit one or more additional packets to the second device to renew the session.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 one or more instructions to determine, when the one or more second packets are received from the second device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 one or more instructions to determine, when one or more additional packets are received from a third device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , where the timer is associated with a polling period, the one or more instructions further comprising:
 one or more instructions to automatically transmit the one or more first packets upon the expiration of the polling period.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , where the one or more first packets are Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) packets and the one or more second packets are BFD Echo packets. 
     
     
         39 . A device comprising:
 one or more memory devices to store a plurality of instructions; and   one or more processors to execute the plurality of instructions, to:
 detect an expiration of a timer; 
 transmit, based on the expiration of the timer, one or more first packets to a second device in a session established between the first device and the second device; 
 determine if one or more second packets are received from the second device; 
 determine, when the one or more second packets are not received from the second device, that the session is not active; and 
 transmit, based on determining that the session is not active, one or more additional packets to the second device to renew the session. 
   
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 39 , where the one or more processors are to:
 determine, when the one or more second packets are received from the second device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 39 , where the one or more processors are to:
 determine, when one or more packets are received from a third device, that the session is active.   
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 39 , where the timer is associated with a polling period, and the one or more processors are to:
 automatically transmit the one or more first packets upon the expiration of the polling period.   
     
     
         43 . The device of  claim 39 , where the one or more first packets are Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) packets and the one or more second packets are BFD Echo packets. 
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 39 , where the session is an Internet Protocol (IP) session.