Adaptive Switch Routing With Port Sleep for Lower Network Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional adaptive routing in networking devices leads to unnecessary power consumption due to ports remaining active even when underutilized, as they do not efficiently switch between different routing techniques based on real-time network conditions.
Innovation Solution
A switch or computing system dynamically switches between spray and sticky adaptive routing techniques based on factors like ingress-to-egress flow ratios and bandwidth thresholds, allocating ports efficiently and putting unused ports into sleep mode to conserve power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ports remain active to handle potential data traffic, then network availability and robustness are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic port state management where ports transition between active and sleep states based on real-time traffic conditions. The routing technique dynamically switches between spray routing (activating multiple ports) and sticky routing (activating single port per flow) to adapt to changing network conditions, ensuring availability while reducing power consumption during low-traffic periods
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of ports by adjusting their state (active/sleep) based on traffic flow ratios and bandwidth utilization. When traffic ratio falls below a threshold or bandwidth is underutilized, ports are transitioned to sleep mode with reduced power consumption, while maintaining the capability to quickly reactivate when needed
2Reliability
If spray adaptive routing is used to broadcast data across all available uplink ports, then network robustness and load balancing are improved, but power consumption increases due to all ports remaining active
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic switching between spray routing and sticky routing techniques. During high-traffic conditions, spray routing is used to activate multiple ports for robustness and load balancing. During low-traffic conditions, the system transitions to sticky routing which activates only the necessary single port per flow, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate network functionality
3Use of energy by moving object
If sticky adaptive routing is used to allocate a single port per flow, then power consumption is reduced, but network robustness and flexibility decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects between sticky routing and spray routing based on real-time monitoring of traffic flow ratios and bandwidth utilization. When the ingress-to-egress flow ratio falls below a threshold or bandwidth utilization is low, sticky routing is employed to save power. When traffic conditions change and robustness becomes more critical, the system switches to spray routing, ensuring network resilience is maintained when needed
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional adaptive routing keeps all ports active, then data communication flexibility is maintained, but power efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a hybrid adaptive routing system that dynamically adjusts port activation states and routing technique selection (spray vs. sticky) based on monitored network conditions. This dynamic approach maintains data communication flexibility by keeping necessary ports active and routing options available, while improving power efficiency by transitioning unused ports to sleep mode and selecting the most appropriate routing technique for current traffic patterns
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, devices, and methods are provided. In one example, a system is described that includes circuits to route data using a first adaptive routing technique; detect a ratio of ingress flows to egress flows is below a threshold; and in response to detecting the ratio of ingress flows to egress flows is below the threshold, switch from routing the data using the first adaptive routing technique to routing the data using a second adaptive routing technique.