BGP Flow Spec Tiered Services Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network configurations using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), managing multiple network traffic services with varying priorities is inefficient, leading to suboptimal allocation of computing resources and network performance, especially when dealing with malicious traffic flows.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a tiered services policy that uses BGP extended community attributes to prioritize network traffic services, allowing edge devices to allocate resources based on predefined service tiers, ensuring higher priority services like DDoS mitigation are executed before lower priority services like traffic steering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a full mesh configuration is used to exchange BGP routing information between edge devices, then routing reachability information can be exchanged directly between all devices, but the number of network connections increases significantly with the quantity of edge devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a route reflector as an intermediary device that receives BGP routing information from edge devices and distributes it to other edge devices. This mediator approach replaces the full mesh configuration, reducing the number of direct connections required between edge devices while maintaining complete routing information exchange capability.
2Productivity
If multiple network traffic services are managed without priority tiers, then all services can be processed, but computing resources are allocated inefficiently and network performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a priority parameter (tier level) for network traffic services, where each service is assigned a numerical tier value. This parameter change enables the system to differentiate between services and allocate computing resources based on priority, with lower tier values receiving higher priority processing. This resolves the inefficient resource allocation by providing a quantitative basis for service prioritization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different processing qualities to different network traffic services based on their priority tiers. High-priority services (lower tier values) receive preferential treatment in terms of resource allocation and processing order, while lower-priority services receive standard processing. This local differentiation of service quality optimizes overall network performance by ensuring critical services receive adequate resources.
3Reliability
If critical services like DDoS mitigation are not prioritized over other services, then all services are treated equally, but network security and performance are compromised during malicious traffic attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary prioritization of critical services by assigning them lower tier values before any traffic attack occurs. This pre-established priority structure ensures that when malicious traffic is detected, the system can immediately execute DDoS mitigation services first without needing to dynamically reconfigure service priorities during the attack.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive information, via one or more border gateway protocol messages, identifying a first network traffic service and a second network traffic service. The device may map the information identifying the first network traffic service and the second network traffic service to information identifying a first tier of service for the first network traffic service and a second tier of service for the second network traffic service. The device may perform a first action and a second action, respectively associated with the first network traffic service and the second network traffic service, on the incoming network traffic, based on an order of the first tier of service, for the first network traffic service, and the second tier of service, for the second network traffic service, in a priority ordering of the set of network traffic services.