ALTO Server PID-Type Attributes for Network Traffic Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Peer-to-peer (P2P) applications inefficiently select resources for data content delivery due to lack of network topology information, leading to suboptimal network traffic and increased costs for service providers, as they often traverse multiple network boundaries and do not utilize provider-specified optimization data effectively.

Innovation Solution

A federated Application-Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) server combines network and cost maps from content delivery networks (CDNs) and service provider networks to generate a master cost map, enabling better resource selection by calculating a cost matrix that spans multiple administrative domains, and introduces attributes to differentiate PID types and filter unwanted entries, while also updating clients with incremental map revisions to maintain current network and cost maps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If P2P clients select resources randomly without network topology information, then resource selection simplicity is maintained, but network traffic efficiency deteriorates and service provider costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource selection simplicityVSAvoidnetwork traffic efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an ALTO server as an intermediary between P2P clients and resources. The server provides network topology information and cost maps that guide clients in selecting optimal resources, thereby improving network traffic efficiency without requiring complex client-side topology analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The ALTO server pre-computes and provides network maps and cost information to clients before resource selection occurs. This preliminary provision of topology data enables clients to make informed decisions without performing complex real-time analysis, balancing simplicity with efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If overlay links traverse multiple network boundaries, then peer connectivity is achieved, but service provider costs increase due to inefficient traffic transport

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepeer connectivityVSAvoidservice provider costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The ALTO server provides cost information as feedback to clients about the expense of routing traffic through different network boundaries. Clients use this feedback to select resources that minimize inter-provider traffic, reducing service provider costs while maintaining connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of resource selection from random choice to cost-aware selection. By incorporating network cost parameters into the selection process, the system optimizes traffic routing to reduce provider expenses while maintaining peer connectivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If distributed applications leverage multiple data sources, then throughput improves and latency reduces, but network traffic congestion increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidnetwork traffic congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ALTO server provides localized network cost information that enables clients to select nearby resources with available capacity. This local optimization distributes traffic more evenly across the network, improving throughput while avoiding congestion in specific regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Device complexity

If clients rely on heuristics to approximate network topology information, then implementation complexity is reduced, but routing optimization accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation complexityVSAvoidrouting optimization accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ALTO server acts as an intermediary that provides accurate network topology information and cost data to clients. This eliminates the need for clients to implement complex heuristic algorithms, maintaining low client-side complexity while achieving high routing optimization accuracy through server-provided guidance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10277500B2Application-layer traffic optimization service endpoint type attribute

Publication Date: 2019.04.30 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

Using the ALTO Service, networking applications can request through the ALTO protocol information about the underlying network topology from the ISP or Content Provider. The ALTO Service provides information such as network resource preferences with the goal of modifying network resource consumption patterns while maintaining or improving application performance. This document describes, in one example, an ALTO server that implements enhancements to the ALTO service to assign a PID-type attribute to each of a set of one or more PIDs each associated with a subset of one or more endpoints of a network, wherein a PID-type attribute specifies a type for the subset of endpoints associated with the PID. The ALTO server generates an ALTO network map that includes a PID entry to describe each of the PIDs, wherein each PID entry includes a PID-type field that stores the assigned PID-type attribute for the PID described by the PID entry.