Bandwidth-Based Load Balancing for Network Switching Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network switching devices fail to optimally balance packet traffic load across link aggregation groups due to reliance on data entropy, leading to inefficient distribution of packets across multiple network connections or ports.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for advanced load balancing based on bandwidth estimation, which includes a bandwidth module to determine available bandwidth estimates for egress ports and a load balancing module to select the port with the highest available bandwidth for packet transmission, ensuring optimal distribution of packets across link aggregation groups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If entropy-based load balancing is used, then packets are distributed across link aggregation group members, but packet traffic load is not optimally balanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the load balancing parameter from data entropy to available bandwidth estimation. The bandwidth module continuously monitors and estimates available bandwidth for each egress port, and the load balancing module uses this bandwidth parameter to select the most appropriate egress port for each packet, thereby optimally balancing packet traffic load and improving network throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the bandwidth module continuously monitors the actual bandwidth utilization of egress ports and feeds this information back to the load balancing module. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of port selection based on real-time network conditions, ensuring optimal load balancing adapts to changing traffic patterns
2Productivity
If available bandwidth estimation is implemented, then optimal port selection is achieved, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bandwidth module performs preliminary bandwidth estimation and updates available bandwidth information in advance before packets arrive at the load balancing module. This preliminary action allows the load balancing module to make rapid port selection decisions without performing complex calculations at packet arrival time, thereby reducing computational overhead and maintaining high packet distribution efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The bandwidth module continuously monitors and estimates bandwidth for all egress ports in the link aggregation group, maintaining updated bandwidth information even when not immediately needed. This excessive action ensures that when packets arrive, the load balancing module can immediately select the optimal port without waiting for bandwidth calculations, thus reducing per-packet processing time
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for load balancing based on available bandwidth estimation includes a bandwidth module configured to determine for a networking device a first available bandwidth estimate for a first egress port and a second available bandwidth estimate for a second egress port, a load balancing module configured to select the first egress port as a selected port in response to determining that the first available bandwidth estimate of the first egress port exceeds a predetermined level and to select the second egress port as the selected port in response to determining that the available bandwidth estimate of the first egress port does not exceed the predetermined level and that the second available bandwidth estimate of the second egress port exceeds the predetermined level, and a transmission module configured to transmit a packet from the selected port. A method and network switching device work similarly to the apparatus.