Address Search Using Segmented Routing Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for rapid packet processing in network devices due to growing network traffic and higher connection speeds poses challenges in efficiently performing network address lookups, particularly in large routing tables where direct and indirect route entries may overlap, leading to inefficiencies in determining the best matching prefix.
Innovation Solution
The system divides a collection of ordered network addresses into sections and stores shadow copies of boundary values, allowing for parallel comparisons and binary searches within identified sections to quickly locate matching entries, thereby reducing the number of cycles required for lookups and conserving memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If traditional routing table lookup methods are used, then routing information can be stored and accessed, but the lookup speed becomes insufficient for high connection rates and large routing tables
Solution Approach 1:
The routing table is divided into multiple sections based on prefix length ranges. Each section stores routing entries with specific prefix length characteristics, allowing the lookup process to focus on relevant sections only. This segmentation reduces the search space and enables faster lookup operations compared to examining the entire routing table.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing table is pre-processed and organized into sections during table construction or updates. Shadow copies of boundary values are pre-computed and stored with each section. This preliminary organization eliminates the need for complex real-time processing during lookup operations, enabling direct and indirect route matching to proceed efficiently.
2Adaptability or versatility
If large routing tables are used to accommodate growing network traffic, then more routing information can be stored, but memory consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the routing table into sections based on prefix length characteristics, the system can store routing information in a more compact organized structure. Each section can be optimized independently, and the segmented structure allows for more efficient memory utilization compared to a flat routing table structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Shadow copies of boundary values are stored alongside the routing entries. These shadow copies enable efficient comparison operations during lookup without requiring additional complex processing logic. The shadow copies are compact representations that facilitate fast matching while consuming minimal additional memory.
3Measurement precision
If best matching prefix algorithms are implemented to handle overlapping route entries, then routing accuracy is improved, but the complexity of the lookup process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The routing table is divided into sections where each section handles specific prefix length ranges. This segmentation naturally organizes overlapping routes into distinct sections, reducing the need for complex best matching prefix algorithms. The sectioned structure provides a hierarchical approach that simplifies the matching process while maintaining accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing table is pre-organized into sections with pre-computed shadow copies of boundary values during table construction. This preliminary action transforms the complex best matching prefix problem into a simpler section-based lookup process, where the system only needs to examine relevant sections rather than evaluating all possible route overlaps in real-time.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method of searching for an address within a collection of addresses. The method includes identifying a section storing an ordered sub-set of a collection of addresses. The identifying is based on a comparison of the address with at least one section boundary value. The method also includes searching the identified section for a match for the address.