Bandwidth-Aware Label Switching Path Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In MPLS-based networks, existing traffic distribution methods equally utilize multiple paths without considering bandwidth utilization, leading to inefficient path selection and potential network performance issues.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves using label switching path information and customer traffic flow information, including bandwidth utilization and threshold values, to selectively assign traffic flows to appropriate label switching paths based on available bandwidth, ensuring optimal path selection for each traffic flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple paths are equally used for traffic distribution, then path selection is simple and load balancing is achieved, but bandwidth utilization is inefficient and network performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the path selection parameters from equal-cost routing to bandwidth-aware routing. The system calculates available bandwidth for each path and uses this parameter to make routing decisions, thereby improving bandwidth utilization efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through automated bandwidth calculation and path selection.
2Productivity
If traffic flows are assigned to label switching paths without considering bandwidth, then path assignment is fast and simple, but network performance issues arise due to mismatched bandwidth demands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary bandwidth calculation for each label switching path before traffic flow assignment. The system pre-computes available bandwidth metrics and stores them for rapid routing decisions, enabling both fast path assignment and reliable network performance by ensuring bandwidth-matched path selection without adding significant processing delay.
3Productivity
If low-bandwidth traffic uses high-bandwidth paths, then path utilization is maximized, but network resources are wasted and performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by matching traffic flow bandwidth characteristics to specific path bandwidth capacities. Instead of uniform path usage, the system identifies local bandwidth requirements of each traffic flow and assigns paths with corresponding bandwidth capabilities, ensuring efficient resource utilization and preventing waste while maintaining overall network productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a device, and a storage medium provide for receiving packets; determining a traffic flow rate value pertaining to the packets; comparing the traffic flow rate value to a flow rate threshold value; selecting one or more candidate paths that are not bandwidth-aware; calculating a current available bandwidth for each of the one or more candidate paths; selecting one or more of the one or more candidate paths based on the traffic flow rate value and the current available bandwidth; and transmitting the packets to a destination via the one or more of the one or more candidate paths.