Backbone Network Flood Frame Forwarding via Customer Multicast Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current layer 2 networks, such as those using IEEE 802.1ad, face limitations in scaling and address space, leading to inefficient handling of flooded traffic like broadcasts, unknown multicasts, and unicast frames in provider backbone networks, which can severely impact performance as the number of VLANs increases, and existing mechanisms like source learning and network management systems become intensive and resource-consuming.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method and device that utilize IEEE 802.1ah encapsulation to forward flood data frames based on customer multicast groups, identifying the customer and assigning a multicast group MAC address to restrict traffic to only necessary destination devices, thereby reducing unnecessary traffic in the provider backbone network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If flooded traffic is forwarded to all intermediate network devices in the backbone network, then all devices can receive the traffic, but network bandwidth and processing resources are wasted on devices that do not require the traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different forwarding behaviors to different intermediate network devices based on their specific requirements. Instead of uniform flooding to all devices, the system selectively forwards flooded traffic only to devices that have registered interest in receiving such traffic, thereby optimizing resource utilization at each local node.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the backbone network into multiple customer multicast groups, where each group represents a subset of intermediate network devices that share common traffic reception requirements. This segmentation allows the network to handle flooded traffic more efficiently by directing it only to relevant segments rather than broadcasting to the entire network.
2Adaptability or versatility
If source learning based on traffic is used to restrict floods, then traffic can be forwarded more selectively, but the mechanism cannot prune traffic based on customer-specific requirements in IEEE 802.1ah networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces customer multicast groups as an intermediary mechanism between flooded traffic and intermediate network devices. These groups act as mediators that translate customer-specific traffic requirements into actionable forwarding decisions, enabling selective traffic restriction without requiring complex per-device configuration or management system intervention.
3Productivity
If network management systems continuously monitor floods to identify spurious traffic, then traffic patterns can be optimized, but processing overhead and system resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having intermediate network devices register their traffic reception requirements in advance with customer multicast groups. This pre-registration mechanism eliminates the need for continuous monitoring and analysis of flood traffic patterns by network management systems, as the forwarding decisions are predetermined based on registered interests.
4Adaptability or versatility
If IEEE 802.1ad is used for provider backbone networks, then VLAN services can be provided, but the network is limited to 4096 VLANs and cannot scale to support millions of service instances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by embedding customer multicast group identifiers within the IEEE 802.1ah encapsulation framework. This nested structure allows the network to maintain compatibility with existing VLAN infrastructure while adding an additional layer of customer-specific identification that enables support for millions of service instances beyond the 4096 VLAN limitation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for efficient transmission of flood data frames in a backbone network comprising a plurality of virtual local area networks (VLANs). A flood data frame is received at an intermediate network device communicatively coupled to a backbone network, wherein the destination of the flood data frame is unknown. A customer associated with the flood data frame is identified. A customer multicast group associated with the customer is identified, the customer multicast group identifying at least one destination intermediate network device coupled to the backbone network. The flood data frame is forwarded to at least one destination intermediate network device of the customer multicast group.