Aggregate-Rate Communication Services via Port Node Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies do not effectively provide flexible and cost-effective rate guarantee services for Ethernet Virtual LANs in networks of arbitrary topology, especially in supporting aggregate-rate services and fair sharing of network capacity among users.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows multiple port nodes to form aggregation-groups, sharing a guaranteed-rate, with mechanisms for registration, deregistration, and performance monitoring, enabling fair sharing of network capacity and accommodating bursty traffic without excessive bandwidth commitment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If per-port guarantee is used to specify distinct bandwidth for traffic from each port, then ease of policing is improved (only local port ingress traffic knowledge is required), but the system must support the case where every user sends at full ingress rate, increasing network capacity requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple per-port rate guarantees into a single aggregate rate guarantee for a group of ports. Instead of ensuring each port receives its full guaranteed rate independently, the system guarantees that the sum of rates across all ports in the aggregation group does not exceed the aggregate rate limit, thereby reducing total network capacity requirements while maintaining ease of policing through centralized rate enforcement.
2Reliability
If Ethernet Bus (CSMA/CD) is used to share network capacity among user ports, then aggregate-rate guarantee is provided, but the method is not applicable to networks of arbitrary topology and the specified aggregate-rate may not have arbitrary value
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal rate control mechanism that can be applied to networks of any topology (star, mesh, ring, hierarchical) rather than being limited to specific Ethernet Bus topologies. The system uses aggregation groups that can be formed across any network configuration, allowing arbitrary aggregate-rate values to be enforced while maintaining the reliability of rate guarantees through flexible topological adaptation.
3Productivity
If port-to-port guarantee is used to specify distinct bandwidth for traffic from a specific port to another specific port, then efficiency is improved when port-to-port traffic rate is relatively constant, but flexibility is reduced compared to aggregate-rate services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic rate control within aggregation groups, allowing the system to adapt between different guarantee models. The rate control mechanism can dynamically adjust individual port rates based on aggregate availability, enabling efficient port-to-port communication when conditions permit while maintaining the flexibility of aggregate-rate services when needed, thus resolving the trade-off between efficiency and flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for providing aggregate-rate communication services is provided. The system comprises a provider network, having an arbitrary topology; a plurality of customers; and a plurality of port nodes, comprising at least one aggregation-group. Port nodes in the at least one aggregation-group share capacity of the at least one aggregation-group fairly. Each of the plurality of customers is associated with at least one of the plurality of port nodes to access the provider network.