PLUG'n ACTIV

The PLUG'n ACTIV mode is the hot-deployment method allowing the inline, Transparent et Invisible installation of all ActivNetworks' products. This deployment mode is a feature of the ActivStation and benefits all the products based on this technology.

PLUG'n ACTIV is made possible by a connection interception mechanism that allows network traffic to be processed in a Transparent et Invisible manner. (Cf — IP Transparency).

IP transparency means that an ActivStation can be hot plugged without interrupting application operations. Network traffic is interrupted briefly while the equipment is inserted in inline mode; TCP's end-to-end mechanism can withstand the loss of a few packets.

Three-phase insertion

The PLUG'n ACTIV insertion mode allows all equipment based on the ActivStation to be implemented incrementally. The installation is performed in three stages:

Phase 1 : physical connection

With the ActivStation powered off, it is inserted inline into the network. In general, the network cable connected to the server or the uplink port of the switch connecting the servers is disconnected and reconnected to one of the ports on the fail-over card.

A crossover cable is then used to connect the other port on the fail-over card to the server or switch.

Once this is done, the two ports on the fail-over card are electrically connected. The ActivStation behaves like a cable.

Phase 2 : Power up

When the ActivStation starts up, the ports on the fail-over card are electronically disconnected. All packets are copied from one port to the other; the ActivStation then behaves like a two-port switch.

Phase 3 : Service activation

The required services are started up. Interception rules determine which connections should be intercepted and processed by the services. At this point, it is possible to start by intercepting a limited number of connections - for example, only those from a particular IP address - before extending the interception to all connections and therefore all users.