BGP Traffic Engineering Path Selection Using Available Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) lacks Traffic Engineering (TE) metrics for optimizing network performance, leading to congestion issues as it does not dynamically adjust path selection based on available bandwidth, especially across autonomous systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a BGP Traffic Engineering (TE) path attribute that advertises available bandwidth in UPDATE messages, allowing for intelligent path selection based on actual bandwidth usage, using the Link Available Bandwidth Extended Community and Accumulated TE metric, to avoid network congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If BGP uses static link bandwidth for path selection, then the path selection is simple and fast, but it does not reflect actual available bandwidth and leads to congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having BGP speakers proactively advertise their available bandwidth capacity through UPDATE messages before congestion occurs. This allows receiving BGP speakers to make informed path selection decisions based on pre-advertised bandwidth information, avoiding the need for reactive congestion management while improving path selection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring actual bandwidth usage and dynamically updating bandwidth advertisements when changes exceed a threshold. This feedback mechanism ensures that BGP path selection is based on current network conditions rather than static configurations, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and accuracy.
2Adaptability or versatility
If BGP dynamically monitors and updates bandwidth information, then path selection reflects real network conditions, but it increases signaling overhead and processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by implementing threshold-based bandwidth update triggering. Instead of advertising every bandwidth change, updates are only generated when bandwidth changes exceed a configurable threshold, reducing signaling overhead while still capturing significant network condition changes. This balances dynamic adaptability with energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic action through configurable bandwidth sampling intervals. BGP speakers monitor bandwidth at regular intervals and update advertisements based on sampled data, providing a balanced approach between continuous monitoring (which would be too overhead-intensive) and static configurations (which lack adaptability).
3Ease of operation
If BGP uses MED for route selection, then route preference can be configured, but it requires manual configuration and does not react to network congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling BGP speakers to automatically advertise their available bandwidth without manual configuration. The system autonomously monitors its own bandwidth utilization and dynamically adjusts advertisements, eliminating the need for manual MED configuration while providing automatic congestion response. This resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and automation.
4Loss of information
If AIGP accumulates IGP metrics for BGP, then path cost information is available, but it lacks Traffic Engineering metrics for actual path optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining IGP metric accumulation with TE-specific bandwidth advertising in a unified BGP path selection framework. The AIGP attribute provides accumulated IGP metrics while the new bandwidth extended community attribute provides TE-specific information, creating a comprehensive path selection mechanism that leverages both approaches without increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include, at a first Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) speaker node which interconnects two autonomous systems, receiving an advertisement containing available bandwidth on one or more links between the two autonomous systems from a second BGP speaker node; and, for a BGP best path calculation between the two autonomous systems at the first BGP speaker node, selecting a link of the one or more links based on the available bandwidth on the link from the advertisement. At the first BGP speaker node, the systems and methods can further include determining bandwidth on the one or more links; and transmitting an updated advertisement based on the determined bandwidth. The bandwidth can be determined based on a configurable sampling interval. The transmitted update can be provided if the determined bandwidth has changed from a previous value by more than a configurable threshold.