James R Forster

US Patent:

6693878, Feb 17, 2004

Filed:

Oct 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/418469

Inventors:

Feisal Y. Daruwalla - Fremont CA
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA
Mark W. Litwack - West Chester PA

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L 1256

US Classification:

370235, 370392, 37039531, 37039552, 370397, 370409, 709238

Abstract:

A technique is provided for managing VPN packet flows over shared access data networks. Each node in the shared access network typically has an identifier or ID associated with it which is used at a Head End of the shared access network to uniquely identify that particular node from the other nodes in the network. According to the technique of the present invention, the node ID may be used at the Head End of the network to identify not only the corresponding node, but also to identify any virtual private networks (VPNs) of which the corresponding node is a member. Using the technique of the present invention, nodes which are members of the same VPN within a shared access network may exchange packets in a manner which does not require the packets to be routed outside the shared access network.

US Patent:

6839829, Jan 4, 2005

Filed:

Jan 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/484189

Inventors:

Feisal Daruwalla - Santa Clara CA, US
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA, US
Guenter E. Roeck - San Jose CA, US
Richard M. Woundy - North Reading MA, US
Michael A. Thomas - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G06F 15177
G06F 11273
G06F 15173
H04N 7173

US Classification:

712 28, 712 29, 714 13, 370217, 709239, 725109

Abstract:

A protection CMTS is available to immediately service a cable modem should that modem's service from a working CMTS fail for any reason. To speed the service transfer (cutover) from the working CMTS to the protection CMTS, the cable modem may preregister with the protection CMTS well before the cutover becomes necessary. The cable modem's registration with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS preferably employs a single IP address, so that the cable modem need not obtain a new IP address during cutover. While the cable modem may register with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS, the devices are designed or configured so that only the working CMTS injects a host route for the cable modem into the appropriate routing protocol. Only after cutover to the protection CMTS does the protection CMTS inject its host route.

US Patent:

7058007, Jun 6, 2006

Filed:

Jan 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/484611

Inventors:

Feisal Daruwalla - Santa Clara CA, US
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA, US
Guenter E. Roeck - San Jose CA, US
Joanna Qun Zang - San Jose CA, US
Yong Lu - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L 12/26
H04J 1/16
G06F 11/00
G08C 15/00
G01R 31/08

US Classification:

370216, 370217, 370432, 709239, 712 28

Abstract:

A protection CMTS is available to immediately service a cable modem should that modem's service from a working CMTS fail for any reason. To speed the service transfer (cutover) from the working CMTS to the protection CMTS, the cable modem may preregister with the protection CMTS well before the cutover becomes necessary. The cable modem's registration with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS preferably employs a single IP address, so that the cable modem need not obtain a new IP address during cutover. While the cable modem may register with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS, the devices are designed or configured so that only the working CMTS injects a host route for the cable modem into the appropriate routing protocol. Only after cutover to the protection CMTS does the protection CMTS inject its host route.

US Patent:

7068712, Jun 27, 2006

Filed:

Jan 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/484612

Inventors:

Joanna Qun Zang - San Jose CA, US
Feisal Daruwalla - Santa Clara CA, US
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA, US
Guenter E. Roeck - San Jose CA, US
Joseph O'Donnell - Fremont CA, US
John Chen - Fremont CA, US
Mark Millet - Mountain View CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04B 1/38

US Classification:

375222

Abstract:

A CMTS redundancy technique requires at least two CMTS interfaces (e. g. , line cards) on one or more CMTS chassis at the head end of a cable network. One of the CMTSs serves as a backup or “protecting” CMTS. When another CMTS (a “working” CMTS) becomes unavailable to service its group of cable modems, the protecting CMTS takes over service to those cable modems. The SWITCHOVER takes place transparently (or nearly transparently) to the cable modems. The protecting CMTS provides service on the same downstream channel as used by the working CMTS. The cable modems need not modify any settings pursuant to their cable modem communication protocol (e. g. , DOCSIS ranging). This transparency to the cable modems is realized by keeping the working and protecting CMTSs in synchronization regarding service parameters for the cable modems. In other words, the protecting CMTS maintains a list of current parameters for allowing service to the cable modems.

US Patent:

7966409, Jun 21, 2011

Filed:

Jul 26, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/899668

Inventors:

Feisal Daruwalla - Santa Clara CA, US
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA, US
Guenter E. Roeck - San Jose CA, US
Richard M. Woundy - North Reading MA, US
Michael A. Thomas - San Francisco CA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709228, 725111

Abstract:

A protection CMTS is available to immediately service a cable modem should that modem's service from a working CMTS fail for any reason. To speed the service transfer (cutover) from the working CMTS to the protection CMTS, the cable modem may preregister with the protection CMTS well before the cutover becomes necessary. The cable modem's registration with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS preferably employs a single IP address, so that the cable modem need not obtain a new IP address during cutover. While the cable modem may register with both the working CMTS and the protection CMTS, the devices are designed or configured so that only the working CMTS injects a host route for the cable modem into the appropriate routing protocol. Only after cutover to the protection CMTS does the protection CMTS inject its host route.

US Patent:

7974201, Jul 5, 2011

Filed:

Jan 14, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/758434

Inventors:

Feisal Y. Daruwalla - Fremont CA, US
James R. Forster - Los Altos CA, US
Mark W. Litwack - WestChester PA, US

Assignee:

Cisco Technology, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04J 1/16

US Classification:

370235, 370392, 370395, 370409, 370397

Abstract:

A technique is provided for managing VPN packet flows over shared access data networks. Each node in the shared access network typically has an identifier or ID associated with it which is used at a Head End of the shared access network to uniquely identify that particular node from the other nodes in the network. According to the technique of the present invention, the node ID may be used at the Head End of the network to identify not only the corresponding node, but also to identify any virtual private networks (VPNs) of which the corresponding node is a member. Using the technique of the present invention, nodes which are members of the same VPN within a shared access network may exchange packets in a manner which does not require the packets to be routed outside the shared access network.

US Patent:

58549013, Dec 29, 1998

Filed:

Jul 23, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/685043

Inventors:

Bruce A. Cole - Mountain View CA
James Ronald Forster - Los Altos CA

Assignee:

Cisco Systems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

H04L 1200

US Classification:

39520075

Abstract:

An IP address is automatically discovered by a network endpoint, such as a PC or router. The endpoint listens for a broadcast network packet or promiscuously listens for a unicast network packet sent from a web browser from a host system. The network packet includes the IP address for the host system and a preselected IP domain name. The IP domain name is used to initiate the address discovery in the endpoint. The IP address from the host system is used by the endpoint as a seed for generating a proposed IP network address. The endpoint then uses an address resolution protocol (ARP) to determine whether the proposed IP address is currently assigned to any other device in the network. If no device in the network responds to the ARP request, the proposed IP address constitutes a unique address on a network segment. Because the proposed address is not used by any other device in the subnetwork, it is self-assigned to the endpoint.