Bidirectional Forwarding Detection Master Slave Mode
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) on low bandwidth links, such as LTE, incurs significant overhead due to frequent echo request and response packets, consuming substantial bandwidth and increasing costs for end users.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a master/slave mode where only the master device sends BFD echo request packets, with the slave device relying on these packets to detect liveliness, loss, latency, and jitter, reducing the number of packets transmitted and conserving bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bidirectional forwarding detection (BFD) runs with frequent echo request and response packets, then link detection accuracy and performance routing measurements are improved, but bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines BFD echo requests with Performance Routing (PFR) measurements into a single packet type. Instead of sending separate BFD echo requests and separate PFR measurement packets, the system merges these functions so that one packet serves dual purposes: detecting link liveness and measuring performance metrics like latency and bandwidth. This reduces the total packet count and bandwidth consumption while maintaining both link detection accuracy and performance measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes BFD echo packets multi-functional by enabling them to simultaneously perform link detection and performance routing measurements. The echo request packets carry additional PFR measurement data, and the echo response packets provide both liveness confirmation and performance metric feedback. This universal packet design eliminates the need for separate dedicated measurement packets, significantly reducing bandwidth overhead on low bandwidth links.
2Reliability
If BFD echo requests and responses are transmitted bidirectionally, then comprehensive link monitoring is achieved, but overhead for end users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges BFD and PFR functions into a unified packet exchange mechanism. By combining link detection and performance measurement into single bidirectional packet flows, the system achieves comprehensive link monitoring while minimizing the number of packets that end users must process and forward, thereby reducing user overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal packets that perform multiple functions simultaneously. The same echo request packet that monitors link liveness also carries PFR measurement information, and the echo response provides both confirmation of receipt and performance metrics. This multi-functionality reduces the total overhead burden on end users compared to separate dedicated BFD and PFR packet streams.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a first device and a second device each sending BFD echo request packets in an initial stage of establishing communication between the two devices. A method can include determining that a certain mode is detected, such as a low bandwidth mode. The method can be practiced by one or both of the devices or a separate network controller. Based on the detection of the certain mode or the communication link being in a certain mode, the method includes the first device or the second device electing to be a master or a slave. Upon establishing that one of the devices is the master and the other of the devices is a slave, only the master will send BFD echo request packets.