BIER-TE Nodes Using IGP Topology Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Bit Index Explicit Replication Traffic Engineering (BIER-TE) deployments rely heavily on Software Defined Network Path Computation Elements (SDN/PCE) controllers for traffic engineering, which increases complexity and dependency, and do not effectively handle link failures or network inconsistencies without explicit in-network tree-building.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing Interior Gateway Protocols (IGPs) to signal information between BIER-TE nodes, allowing each node to maintain separate operational and configuration topologies, enabling automated traffic engineering and path rerouting around congested or failed links without the need for SDN/PCE controllers, by generating and updating operational and configuration Bit Index Forwarding Tables (BIFTs) based on verified network topology information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If SDN/PCE controllers are used for BIER-TE traffic engineering, then traffic engineering capability is improved, but system complexity and dependency increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each BIER-TE node autonomously maintains its own operational and configuration topologies and performs independent verification of network topology information, eliminating the need for centralized SDN/PCE controllers. The nodes self-manage traffic engineering functions by verifying topology info from IGP and autonomously updating their forwarding tables.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the traffic engineering control functions from the centralized SDN/PCE controller and distributes them to individual BIER-TE nodes. Each node maintains separate operational and configuration topologies locally, removing the dependency on external controllers while preserving traffic engineering capabilities.
2Manufacturing precision
If explicit in-network tree-building is implemented, then traffic engineering precision is improved, but deployment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network topology information into two distinct components: operational topology (verified, active routes) and configuration topology (desired state, including unverified routes). This segmentation allows nodes to maintain precise traffic engineering control through operational topology while simplifying deployment by accepting configuration topology from standard IGP protocols without requiring complex manual tree-building.
3Extent of automation
If separate operational and configuration topologies are maintained, then automated path rerouting is improved, but information processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the maintenance of operational and configuration topologies into a unified verification process. Nodes receive topology information from IGP, verify it against their configuration topology, and automatically update their operational topology. This combined approach enables automated path rerouting around failed links while the verification process efficiently manages the information overhead by reusing existing IGP data.
Data Source
AI summary
A first Bit Index Explicit Replication Traffic Engineering (BIER-TE) node of a network includes a first interface to a second BIER-TE node in the network. The first node includes a configuration topology and an operational topology. The configuration topology represents the configuration of the network and the operational topology represents usable and consistent links in the network topology. The first node receives first network topology information and updates the configuration topology with the first network topology information. The first node also verifies the first network topology information and updates the operational topology with the first network topology information responsive to the verification. The first node receives a packet including a routing bitstring having a set bit at a first bit index corresponding to the first interface and routes the packet to the second node responsive to the routing bitstring and the operational topology.