BGP Peer Prioritization for Faster Network Reinitialization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Internet routing systems take up to 30 minutes to fully reinitialize after a power-cycling event, as they randomly send route advertisements to neighboring networks, leading to inefficient reconvergence and prolonged downtime in restoring full Internet connectivity.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to prioritize the order of establishing communications with neighboring networks based on stored priority fields, allowing critical networks for full-route connectivity to be contacted first, using both persistent and non-persistent memory devices to maintain and restore network identifiers and priorities during power cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If route advertisements are sent randomly to neighboring networks during initialization, then all networks can eventually be reached, but the time to restore full Internet connectivity is prolonged (up to 30 minutes)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing priority information and network identifiers in persistent memory before power-cycling events occur. When power is restored, the system immediately retrieves this pre-stored priority data and initiates communication attempts in the predetermined priority order, eliminating the need for random re-discovery and significantly reducing reinitialization time while ensuring reliable connectivity restoration.
2Loss of time
If priority fields and network identifiers are stored in persistent memory, then communication restoration is accelerated, but device complexity increases due to additional memory management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs cheap short-living objects by using simple persistent memory structures (such as flash memory or EEPROM) to store priority fields and network identifiers. These memory elements are inexpensive, require minimal management overhead, and can be easily rewritten when network configurations change. The simple data structures and straightforward retrieval logic minimize processing complexity while effectively reducing communication establishment time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for establishing routes to neighboring networks during an initialization sequence according to a prioritized order may include detecting a power-cycling event and accessing a plurality of identifiers stored in a memory device that persisted through the power-cycling event. Each of the plurality of identifiers may be associated with a network. The networks may include first networks that are coupled to network endpoints, and second networks that are capable of coupling to the one or more first networks. For each network, the method may further include accessing a priority field in the memory device that may be associated with the network. The respective priority field can be based on an order in which communications should be established with the network and application layer information. The method may also include attempting to establish communications with each of the plurality of networks in an order based on the priority fields.