Anchor Interface Assignment for Port Channel Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network technologies face challenges in achieving perfect load balancing for port channel subinterfaces, often resulting in effective bandwidth being less than the desired shape rate due to imperfect load distribution among physical interfaces, potentially leading to all traffic being directed to a single interface.
Innovation Solution
Assigning an anchor interface for port channel subinterfaces with a configured shape rate, ensuring the anchor interface has bandwidth equal to or greater than the desired shape rate, and distributing subinterfaces based on allocated bandwidth, with tie-breaking based on bandwidth allocation across groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If load balancing is implemented among physical interfaces of a port channel, then traffic distribution is improved, but effective bandwidth may be less than desired shape rate due to imperfect load distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the port channel into multiple physical interfaces and assigns specific subinterfaces to specific physical interfaces using anchor interface assignment. This segmentation ensures that each subinterface has a dedicated path, eliminating load balancing imperfections and guaranteeing the desired shape rate is achieved.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-assigning anchor interfaces to subinterfaces before traffic flow begins. This pre-assignment ensures that the desired bandwidth is guaranteed from the start, rather than relying on dynamic load balancing that may not achieve perfect distribution.
2Ease of operation
If all subinterfaces are distributed across multiple physical interfaces, then load balancing is improved, but some subinterfaces may be overloaded or underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different characteristics to different subinterfaces through anchor interface assignment. Each subinterface is specifically bound to a physical interface based on bandwidth requirements and interface capacity, ensuring optimal local matching rather than uniform distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of subinterface-to-physical-interface mapping from dynamic load balancing to static anchor assignment. This parameter change ensures that bandwidth utilization is optimized by matching subinterface requirements with physical interface capabilities.
3Reliability
If anchor interface assignment is implemented, then bandwidth guarantee is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism - the anchor interface assignment system - that mediates between subinterfaces and physical interfaces. This intermediary layer provides bandwidth guarantees while managing the complexity of interface mapping in a centralized and controlled manner.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically assigning anchor interfaces to subinterfaces based on predefined criteria and bandwidth requirements. This automation reduces manual configuration complexity while maintaining reliable bandwidth guarantees.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments described herein relate to techniques for distributing shaped subinterfaces among physical interfaces of a port channel. Such techniques include receiving a request to configure a shape rate for a port channel subinterface; generating a physical interface set specifying: a first physical interface and a first allocated bandwidth associated with the first physical interface; and a second physical interface and a second allocated bandwidth associated with the second physical interface; making a selection, using the physical interface set, of the first physical interface based on the first allocated bandwidth being lesser than the second allocated bandwidth; assigning the first physical interface as a first anchor interface for the first port channel subinterface; and adding the first shape rate to the first allocated bandwidth to obtain a first new allocated bandwidth for the first physical interface.