Continuous ("five nines"" or better) operation is a hard requirement in most networks, making hardware redundancy a must. Software facilities are equally critical to enable automatic, rapid re-convergence of the network around failed components. OpenArchitect/HA fills this need with the fastest fail-over performance possible in packet-switched networks. Instead of convergence in seconds or minutes as is typical for STP/RSTP fail-over schemes, OpenArchitect/HA can fail-over in milliseconds, often faster than the dual-SONET standard of 50 milliseconds.

A fail-over between physical links can be made very quickly without requiring change to the IP or MAC address of the virtual interface, effectively transparent from the applications point of view. With redundant links from a switch (or switches) to the host, one link is maintained as the ACTIVE link and the other as STANDBY. If the ACTIVE link were to go down, the STANDBY becomes the new ACTIVE, while presenting the same virtual interface to the host.

Surviving Partner is ZNYX Network's switch-based HA solution. Surviving Partner runs on the switches to provide transition of Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching functionality between two or more switches. Surviving Partner is comprised of many interactive protocols and processes including VRRP, zlmd, zlc, and others. Surviving Partner also allows for replacement switches to obtain their network configuration from their partner switch in the chassis. Non-configured switches can be installed in the field and automatically grab their network configuration from a partner switch in the chassis

Servers within the network can hold switch configuration files, and upon installation, ZNYX switches will automatically download configuration files without technician intervention.

OpenArchitect/HA is included with the following ZNYX products:

• ZX5000
• ZX6000 Series
• ZX6200
• ZX7000 Series
• ZX7100 Series
• ZX7200
• ZX7250
• ZX7300
• ZX1900 Ultra5™ Platform
• ZX2000 Ultra5™ Platform