BGP FlowSpec Traffic Counting for Multi-Flow Statistics Collection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional BGP accounting technologies require manual configuration of multiple devices to collect traffic statistics, leading to complex and time-consuming configuration work, especially when dealing with large quantities of data flows in networks.

Innovation Solution

A control node generates and delivers a traffic statistics collection policy to forwarding nodes via BGP FlowSpec protocol packets, allowing the nodes to set traffic identifiers and collect statistics centrally, reducing the need for manual configuration across multiple devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional BGP accounting technology is used to collect traffic statistics of multiple data flows, then traffic statistics can be collected, but manual configuration of multiple devices becomes complex and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic statistics collectionVSAvoidconfiguration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the egress router sets community attributes in BGP routing information, which is then automatically processed by the ingress router to configure traffic indexes. This intermediary use of community attributes eliminates the need for manual configuration at both ingress and egress routers, reducing configuration complexity while maintaining accurate traffic statistics collection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The ingress router automatically configures traffic indexes based on community attributes received in BGP routing information without requiring manual intervention. The system enables itself to configure traffic statistics collection by processing the community attributes automatically, reducing the need for skilled personnel configuration work

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If manual configuration is performed on multiple devices to collect traffic statistics of large quantities of data flows, then traffic statistics can be collected, but the configuration work becomes heavy and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic statistics collectionVSAvoidconfiguration time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The community attribute acts as an intermediary that carries configuration information from the egress router to the ingress router automatically. This eliminates the need for manual configuration at multiple devices, significantly reducing configuration time while maintaining accurate traffic statistics collection for large quantities of data flows

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The egress router pre-configures the community attributes in the BGP routing information before traffic flows are established. This preliminary configuration action enables the ingress router to automatically set up traffic indexes without requiring subsequent manual configuration, reducing overall configuration time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3429126B1Control method, device and system for traffic counting
Publication Date: 2022.07.27 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3429126B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3429126B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3429126B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a control method for collecting traffic statistics. The method includes: obtaining, by a control node, a statistics collection instruction, where the statistics collection instruction is used to instruct to collect traffic statistics of a target data flow; generating, by the control node, a traffic statistics collection policy according to the statistics collection instruction, where the traffic statistics collection policy includes a matching identifier of the target data flow, a first command, and a second command; and sending, by the control node, the traffic statistics collection policy to the forwarding node. The first command is used to instruct the forwarding node to set a traffic identifier for the target data flow based on the matching identifier, the second command is used to instruct the forwarding node to add traffic generated by a target packet to a traffic statistics collection result corresponding to the traffic identifier, the target packet belongs to the target data flow, and the traffic statistics collection result corresponding to the traffic identifier is used to describe the traffic of the target data flow. In addition, the embodiments of the present invention further disclose a control apparatus and a control system for collecting traffic statistics.