BGP Extension for SDN Controller Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication protocols lack support for communications among Software Defined Network (SDN) controllers, particularly in extending the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to facilitate effective communication and path computation across multiple domains in SDN architectures.
Innovation Solution
The extension of BGP to support communications among SDN controllers involves the use of a communications capabilities message, path computation requests, and tunnel segment creation messages, including a CSC capability triplet to advertise capabilities and request path segments and tunnel segments, enabling end-to-end tunnel establishment across multiple domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If BGP protocol is used for communication among SDN controllers, then communication capability between controllers is improved, but protocol compatibility and standardization are worsened due to lack of native BGP support for SDN controller interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the BGP protocol implementation into distinct functional components: capability advertisement messages for declaring SDN controller functions, path computation request messages for route calculation, and tunnel segment creation messages for establishing communication paths. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of SDN controller communication independently, improving adaptability while managing protocol complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary message formats that translate between SDN controller interaction requirements and BGP protocol structures. These intermediary messages act as adapters, enabling standard BGP infrastructure to support SDN controller communications without requiring fundamental changes to either BGP or SDN controller architectures, thus resolving the contradiction between communication capability and protocol compatibility
2Productivity
If path computation requests are sent across multiple domains, then end-to-end path establishment is improved, but communication overhead and processing time are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having SDN controllers pre-advertise their capabilities and available path segments through BGP capability messages before actual path computation is needed. This pre-publication of routing information and controller capabilities allows receiving controllers to make faster path computation decisions without querying each domain controller in real-time, thus improving path establishment efficiency while reducing computation time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the nested doll principle by embedding path segment information within hierarchical message structures. Path computation requests and responses are nested within BGP update messages, which are themselves nested within the broader BGP communication framework. This nesting allows compact representation of multi-domain path information, reducing communication overhead and processing time while maintaining comprehensive path establishment capability
Data Source
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AI summary
A first network element comprising a memory comprising instructions executable by a processor and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions. Executing the instructions causes the processor to receive, from a second network element during a border gateway protocol communication session, a communications capabilities message indicating capabilities of the second network element, receive, from the second network element, an advertisement message indicating connections and accesses of a second domain controlled by the second network element, receive a request to route data between a source located in a first domain and a destination, transmit a first request message to the second network element to cause the second network element to compute a path segment through the second domain, and transmit a second request message to create a segment of an end-to-end tunnel between the source and the destination crossing the first domain and the second domain.