Admission Control Using Backup Links in Ethernet Access Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing admission control process in Ethernet-based access networks inefficiently utilizes network resources by only checking active links for bandwidth, leading to rejected service requests when backup links with available bandwidth are not utilized.
Innovation Solution
The admission control process searches both active and idle backup links for sufficient bandwidth to serve service requests, admitting requests if a path with sufficient bandwidth is found, and prioritizing paths with fewer hops and higher capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the admission control process only checks active links for bandwidth, then the network structure remains simple and easy to manage, but network resource utilization is poor and service requests are rejected when backup links have available bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The admission control process dynamically switches between checking only active links and checking both active and backup links based on the availability of backup links and the type of service request. When backup links are available and the request is unicast, the process utilizes backup links; otherwise, it reverts to checking only active links, making the system adaptable to different network states.
Solution Approach 2:
The process changes the search scope parameter from only active links to include both active and backup links when conditions permit. This parameter change allows the system to utilize idle backup link resources, improving bandwidth utilization and service admission rate without permanently increasing system complexity.
2Productivity
If backup links are activated only when active links fail, then the network topology remains stable and simple, but network resource utilization is inefficient and idle backup links cannot serve additional requests
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary checks of backup link availability before rejecting service requests. By proactively identifying idle backup links and their associated paths, the admission control process can utilize these resources beforehand, improving bandwidth utilization without requiring complex real-time reconfiguration during service delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conditional check mechanism that determines whether to utilize backup links based on service request type and backup link availability. This intermediary layer mediates between the simple active-link-only approach and the complex full-topology search, achieving improved resource utilization while maintaining operational simplicity for common cases.
3Productivity
If the admission control process searches both active and backup links, then network resource utilization improves, but the complexity of the admission control process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The admission control process is segmented into distinct decision stages: first checking active links, then conditionally searching backup links based on unicast request type and backup availability. This segmentation breaks down the complex search process into manageable segments, reducing overall algorithmic complexity while still enabling backup link utilization when beneficial.
Solution Approach 2:
The process performs a partial search of the network topology by only considering backup links when specifically needed (for unicast requests when active links are insufficient). This partial action approach avoids the excessive complexity of always searching the entire topology while still capturing the benefits of backup link utilization in appropriate scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
An admission control process in an Ethernet-based access network having both active links and idle backup links. When a service request is received in an access node, the process searches for a path of links to an access edge node with sufficient bandwidth to serve the service request. Active links are searched first. If a path of active links with sufficient bandwidth cannot be found, and the service is a unicast request, the process searches for a path that utilizes at least one idle backup link and has sufficient bandwidth to serve the service request.