Access Gateway Multicast Forwarding Entry Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In VXLAN networks, the deployment of multiple border gateways for backup and load balancing leads to redundant multicast packet forwarding, resulting in wastage of network resources and increased processing load on access gateways due to multiple copies of the same multicast packet being transmitted.
Innovation Solution
An access gateway determines optimal paths from multiple border gateways to a multicast source and generates a forwarding entry based on these paths, ensuring that only the optimal path is used for packet forwarding, thereby preventing redundant packet transmission and improving resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple border gateways are deployed for backup and load balancing, then reliability is improved, but network resource waste increases due to redundant multicast packet forwarding
Solution Approach 1:
The access gateway performs preliminary actions by determining optimal paths from multiple border gateways to the multicast source before actual multicast packet forwarding. It generates forwarding entries that specify which border gateway should forward packets to which access gateway, preventing redundant packet transmission in advance while maintaining the reliability benefits of multiple border gateways
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the access gateway receives multicast packets from different border gateways, determines the optimal path based on path information, and uses this information to generate or update forwarding entries. This feedback loop ensures that only the optimal border gateway forwards packets to each access gateway, eliminating redundancy while preserving the failover capability of multiple border gateways
2Productivity
If multiple border gateways forward multicast packets, then load balancing is improved, but processing capability of access gateway deteriorates due to handling multiple packet copies
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the path determination and optimal path selection function from the packet forwarding process. The access gateway separately determines the optimal path from multiple border gateways to the multicast source and generates forwarding entries that specify which border gateway should serve which access gateway. This separation allows load balancing across multiple border gateways while ensuring each access gateway receives only one packet copy, reducing processing overhead
3Reliability
If all border gateways forward multicast packets to ensure reliability, then service continuity is improved, but bandwidth utilization deteriorates due to redundant packet transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The access gateway performs preliminary path determination and generates forwarding entries that specify which border gateway should forward packets to which access gateway. This preliminary action ensures that only the optimal border gateway forwards packets to each access gateway, preventing redundant packet transmission while maintaining the reliability benefits of having multiple border gateways available for failover
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the forwarding behavior parameter from 'all border gateways forward to all access gateways' to 'each access gateway receives packets from its optimal border gateway only'. By dynamically determining optimal paths and generating specific forwarding entries, the system optimizes bandwidth utilization while preserving service continuity through the availability of multiple border gateways
Data Source
AI summary
A multicast forwarding entry generation method includes receiving a first multicast packet from a first border gateway. The method also includes generating a first multicast forwarding entry based on the first multicast packet. The first multicast forwarding entry includes an address of the first border gateway and information about a multicast source. The method further includes receiving a second multicast packet from a second border gateway. The second multicast packet includes an address of the second border gateway and the information about the multicast source. The method additionally includes determining a first path to the multicast source through the first border gateway and a second path to the multicast source through the second border gateway. The method also includes determining an optimal path to the multicast source based on the first path and the second path, and generating a forwarding entry of the multicast source based on the optimal path.