Adaptive WAN Controller for Asymmetric Network Path Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wide area networks (WANs) face challenges in performance, reliability, and predictability due to their costly nature and difficulty in load balancing, especially with dynamic network behavior.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an adaptive communication controller that monitors and manages multiple parallel communication paths across disparate asymmetric networks, using egress and ingress processor modules to evaluate and select the best paths for data transmission, ensuring continuous performance monitoring and data packet sequencing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single network provider is used to maintain network reliability and performance, then network reliability is improved, but network cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network path into multiple parallel communication paths between the same source and destination. Instead of relying on a single network provider's infrastructure, the system divides traffic across multiple distinct paths, each potentially using different network providers or different routes through the same provider's network. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through path diversity while reducing cost by avoiding the need to purchase redundant capacity from a single expensive provider.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional communication system that can operate over multiple types of network infrastructure simultaneously. The communication controller is designed to manage traffic across heterogeneous network paths, making the system universal in its ability to adapt to different network conditions and providers. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve both reliability and cost-effectiveness by selecting from multiple available paths based on current performance and cost considerations.
2Productivity
If multiple parallel communication paths are used to improve network performance and reliability, then network efficiency is improved, but path selection and load balancing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the communication controller continuously monitors the performance of each parallel communication path and uses this information to dynamically adjust traffic distribution. The system receives performance metrics from each path, evaluates them against predefined criteria, and automatically reallocates traffic to optimize overall network efficiency. This feedback loop simplifies the path selection process by replacing complex manual configuration with automated, performance-driven decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication controller operates autonomously to manage traffic across multiple paths without requiring external intervention. It self-monitors path performance, self-adjusts load distribution, and self-optimizes routing decisions based on real-time conditions. This self-service capability reduces the operational complexity that would otherwise be associated with manually managing multiple parallel paths, allowing the system to maintain high efficiency while keeping management simple.
3Adaptability or versatility
If disparate asymmetric networks are used to reduce cost and increase flexibility, then network adaptability is improved, but performance measurement and monitoring difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality monitoring by tailoring the performance measurement approach to the specific characteristics of each asymmetric network path. Rather than using a uniform measurement method across all paths, the system adapts its monitoring strategy to account for the unique properties of each network type (e.g., different bandwidths, latencies, error rates). This localized approach to performance measurement makes it easier to monitor and evaluate disparate networks by addressing each path's specific characteristics rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all solution.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques are described which improve performance, reliability, and predictability of networks without having costly hardware upgrades or replacement of existing network equipment. An adaptive communication controller provides WAN performance and utilization measurements to another network node over multiple parallel communication paths across disparate asymmetric networks which vary in behavior frequently over time. An egress processor module receives communication path quality reports and tagged path packet data and generates accurate arrival times, send times, sequence numbers and unutilized byte counts for the tagged packets. A control module generates path quality reports describing performance of the multiple parallel communication paths based on the received information and generates heartbeat packets for transmission on the multiple parallel communication paths if no other tagged data has been received in a predetermined period of time to ensure performance is continually monitored. An ingress processor module transmits the generated path quality reports and heartbeat packets.