BGP Next Hop Determination via Centralized Control Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the next hop in routing information within a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) require complex configuration on each router, leading to increased operation complexity and network maintenance workload, especially when using a reflection router to interconnect multiple routers in an autonomous system.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that determine the next hop by a control device based on the identifiers of sender and receiver forwarding devices and a routing path group, reducing the need for complex configuration on individual routers by selecting the next hop from the routing path group according to network topology and constraints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the next hop is determined by outbound policy configuration on each router, then routing information can be advertised, but the operation complexity of the router increases and network maintenance workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the next hop determination function from the forwarding device (router) and relocates it to a control device. The control device maintains routing path groups and determines next hops centrally, while forwarding devices only need to advertise routing information without complex outbound policy configurations. This extraction resolves the contradiction by removing the burden of complex configuration from individual routers while maintaining routing advertisement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a control device as an intermediary between the routing information source and the forwarding devices. This control device maintains routing path groups, determines appropriate next hops based on network topology, and provides this information to forwarding devices. The intermediary handles the complexity of next hop determination centrally, allowing forwarding devices to operate with simpler configurations.
2Loss of energy
If all routers are interconnected through a reflection router, then resource consumption is reduced, but the next hop cannot be changed after routing information is reflected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the next hop dynamic by maintaining multiple routing paths in routing path groups at the control device. Instead of a fixed next hop determined by static outbound policies, the control device can dynamically select different next hops from the routing path groups based on current network conditions, topology changes, or optimization requirements. This dynamic approach maintains the resource efficiency of route reflection while adding the flexibility to adapt next hop selections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of next hop from a fixed value determined by outbound policy to a selectable value from multiple routing paths. The control device maintains routing path groups with different possible next hops and can change the selected next hop by updating the routing information advertised to clients. This parameter change enables flexibility in next hop selection while maintaining the efficient route reflection architecture.
3Reliability
If outbound policy is configured on each router to determine next hop, then routing information can be advertised with specific next hop, but network maintenance workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the outbound policy configuration and next hop determination tasks from individual routers and consolidates them at a central control device. The control device maintains routing path groups and determines next hops centrally, eliminating the need for complex outbound policy configurations on each router. This extraction maintains routing information accuracy while significantly reducing network maintenance workload, as changes affect only the central control device rather than requiring updates across multiple routers.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for determining a next hop and advertising routing information, which relate to the field of communications and are used for reducing operation complexity of a forwarding device and reducing network maintenance workload. The method for determining the next hop provided by the embodiments of the present invention includes: receiving, by a control device, first routing information sent by a first forwarding device, where the first routing information includes an identifier of the first forwarding device; determining a first routing path according to the identifier of the first forwarding device, an identifier of a second forwarding device and a routing path group; and determining a next hop in second routing information for the second forwarding device according to the first routing path, where the second forwarding device is a receiver of the second routing information advertised by the control device.