US Patent 6917592 LNS high availability and load balancing with LNS-to-LNS state offloading

A primary LNS, a peer LNS and a LAC are coupled to each other via a network A CPE is coupled to the LAC. A first tunnel is established between the CPE and the LAC using the network and information is transmitted through the first tunnel. A determination is made as to whether the primary LNS is overloaded or inoperative. State information is offloaded from the primary LNS to the peer LNS. If the primary LNS is inoperative or overloaded, a second tunnel is established from the CPE to the peer LNS using the state information. Information is transmitted though the second tunnel.