Border Switching Devices for End-to-End Multipathing in Hybrid SDN Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heterogeneous or hybrid networks, comprising switching devices compatible with different protocols like SDN and OSI model layers, face challenges in achieving end-to-end multipathing due to the difficulty in guaranteeing data routing across clusters with disparate protocols, especially in the presence of switching device failures.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of border switching devices compatible with both SDN and OSI model layers, which add and remove headers as necessary to facilitate data transmission between clusters, ensuring end-to-end multipathing by assuming responsibility for multipathing within their respective clusters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If border switching devices add and remove headers to facilitate data transmission between clusters with different protocols, then protocol compatibility and end-to-end multipathing are achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The border switching device acts as an intermediary between SDN protocol clusters and OSI model layer protocol clusters. It adds headers when forwarding data from SDN clusters to OSI clusters, and removes headers when forwarding from OSI clusters to SDN clusters, enabling protocol translation and compatibility between heterogeneous network domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The border switching device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both SDN protocol and OSI model layer protocols. It can interface with both protocol types, perform header addition/removal operations, and route data packets across protocol boundaries, making it a universal gateway for heterogeneous network communication.
2Reliability
If multiple paths are guaranteed for data routing across heterogeneous networks, then reliability improves, but routing complexity and difficulty of detecting and measuring paths increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into distinct protocol domains (SDN clusters and OSI clusters) with border switching devices acting as gateways between them. Each domain can independently establish multiple paths within its boundaries, and the border devices coordinate cross-domain routing, simplifying the overall multipathing complexity while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The border switching devices implement feedback mechanisms to track and manage multiple routing paths across heterogeneous protocol domains. They monitor path availability, detect failures, and dynamically adjust routing decisions to maintain end-to-end connectivity through alternative paths when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
A first cluster includes first switching devices that are compatible with a software-defined networking (SDN) protocol. A second cluster includes second switching devices within or partially overlapping the first cluster. Each second switching device is compatible with a protocol for an open systems interconnection (OSI) model layer. The first switching devices include one or more border switching devices located at a boundary between the first cluster and the second cluster. Each border switching device is also compatible with the protocol for the OSI model layer. The first switching devices effect first multipathing through the network except through the second cluster, and the second switching devices effect second multipathing just through the second cluster of the network. As such, the first switching devices and the second switching devices together effect end-to-end multipathing through both the first cluster and the second cluster of the network.