Backbone Network Policy Driven Routing via Exit Point Encapsulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network routing systems have limited flexibility due to a single path for data packet transmission and require routers to store large mappings of target device addresses, increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing policy-driven routing in a backbone network, where data packets are encapsulated with an exit point address, allowing routers to use multiple paths and reducing the need for extensive destination address mappings by using exit point addresses for routing decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single path is used for routing data packets from source to target, then the routing process is simple, but network flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The routing process is segmented into two independent stages: (1) source device selects an exit point based on destination address, and (2) backbone network routes packet to the selected exit point. This segmentation allows multiple paths to the same exit point without requiring complex end-to-end routing decisions at each router.
Solution Approach 2:
The exit point address serves as an intermediary between the destination address and the actual routing path. Routers use the exit point address (not the final destination address) to make routing decisions, allowing flexible path selection while maintaining simple routing logic.
2Measurement precision
If routers store mappings for each possible target device address, then routing accuracy is improved, but router cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The destination address information is extracted from the packet header and used only at the source device to determine the exit point. The exit point address is then used for all subsequent routing decisions through the backbone network, eliminating the need for routers to store comprehensive destination address mappings.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing dimension is changed from direct destination address mapping to exit point address mapping. Routers maintain mappings only for exit point addresses (a smaller set), while the source device performs the destination address to exit point address translation, effectively moving the mapping burden from routers to edge devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A source device obtains a data packet that includes both a destination address and a payload. The source device selects an exit point address of multiple exit point addresses corresponding to the destination address based on one or more policies. The source device encapsulates the data packet with a header that includes the selected exit point address, and the encapsulated data packet is provided to the backbone network. The encapsulated data packet is routed through the backbone network based on the exit point address, and an edge router of the backbone network identifies an interface of the edge router that corresponds to the exit point address. The header is removed from the encapsulated data packet, and the data packet is added to a buffer of the interface for routing to one or more other devices outside of the backbone network.