BGP Route Entry Association for Faster Data Center Convergence
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large data centers, the direct hop-by-hop BGP route protocol leads to time-consuming route withdrawal processes due to the large number of BGP routes, hindering network convergence when link faults occur.
Innovation Solution
A method where network devices generate route entries associated with identifiers of route advertisers, allowing multiple routes to be managed through a single entry update, thereby accelerating route convergence by modifying only the primary entry upon receiving a withdraw message.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If direct hop-by-hop BGP route protocol is used in large data centers, then route propagation between network devices is achieved, but route withdrawal becomes time-consuming due to the large number of BGP routes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the route withdrawal process by introducing a special route type (type 0) that represents a group of routes. Instead of withdrawing each individual route separately, the system withdraws the group route, which automatically triggers withdrawal of all dependent service routes, thereby reducing the overall withdrawal time significantly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes route dependency relationships in advance before faults occur. By pre-defining which service routes depend on which group routes and setting up the route entry structure with dependency flags, the system prepares the withdrawal path beforehand, enabling rapid cascaded withdrawal when needed without performing complex calculations during the withdrawal process.
2Ease of operation
If each network device advertises only local best path to neighboring devices, then BGP route propagation is maintained, but route convergence is hindered when link faults occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple service routes that share the same dependency relationship into a single group route entry. This consolidation allows the system to manage and withdraw multiple routes through a single operation, improving both the ease of route propagation and the reliability of route convergence by reducing the number of individual withdrawal operations needed.
3Measurement precision
If network devices perform local best path calculation upon receiving route withdraw messages, then route validity is verified, but the process becomes time-consuming when no backup path exists
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary setup by establishing route dependency relationships and organizing routes into groups before faults occur. This pre-configuration includes setting dependency flags and creating the hierarchical route structure, so that when withdrawal is needed, the system can directly propagate withdrawals along pre-defined dependency paths without performing time-consuming best path calculations at each step.
Data Source
AI summary
A first network device obtains a first route, where a first route prefix of the first route includes an identifier of a route advertiser. The first network device generates a first route entry based on the first route. The first network device obtains a second route, where the second route includes a second route prefix and the identifier of the route advertiser. The first network device generates a second route entry based on the identifier of the route advertiser and the second route prefix, to associate the first route entry with the second route entry.