Brokerless Messaging via Service Mesh Sidecars

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pub/sub messaging networks in cloud architectures suffer from latency due to the use of intermediaries like message brokers and lack support for secure, brokerless communication protocols, particularly in cloud service providers that block UDP multicasting schemes.

Innovation Solution

A scalable brokerless pub/sub messaging network is implemented using a service mesh with sidecar security containers and a control plane for zero-trust architecture and mutual TLS encryption, establishing point-to-point TCP connections between service nodes for secure, low-latency communication without a message broker.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If message brokers are used in pub/sub messaging networks, then message routing and delivery are simplified, but communication latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication latencyVSAvoidmessaging architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the message broker component from the pub/sub messaging architecture, transitioning to a brokerless model where service nodes communicate directly through point-to-point connections. This eliminates the intermediate routing layer that causes latency, allowing publishers and subscribers to exchange messages peer-to-peer without the overhead of broker-mediated message routing and delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an alternative intermediary mechanism through service mesh infrastructure with sidecar proxies that establish direct TCP socket connections between service nodes. Instead of using a traditional message broker, the service mesh provides the intermediary functionality through distributed sidecar proxies that manage connections and routing at the network level, reducing latency while maintaining architectural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If UDP multicasting schemes are used for brokerless communication, then communication latency is reduced, but security and protocol support are insufficient in cloud environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity and protocol supportVSAvoidcommunication latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the communication protocol parameter from UDP multicasting to TCP socket connections. This parameter change enables reliable, secure, and encrypted communication suitable for cloud environments while maintaining the brokerless architecture. The TCP protocol provides guaranteed delivery, flow control, and security capabilities that UDP lacks, addressing the reliability and security requirements of cloud-based service meshes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent substitutes the UDP multicasting mechanism with TCP socket-based point-to-point connections. This replacement introduces security features including mutual TLS encryption and authentication, which are essential for cloud environments. The service mesh infrastructure manages these secure connections, providing both security and protocol support while maintaining low-latency communication through direct service-to-service connectivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If point-to-point TCP connections are established between all service nodes, then security and reliability are improved, but network complexity and connection management overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure communicationVSAvoidconnection management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs sidecar proxies that serve multiple functions simultaneously: establishing secure TCP connections, managing authentication and authorization, handling encryption/decryption, and routing messages between service nodes. This multi-functional approach consolidates connection management complexity into standardized sidecar components that can be uniformly deployed across all service nodes, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining secure point-to-point communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the connection management functionality into separate sidecar proxy components that run alongside each service node. Each sidecar handles the secure connection establishment and management for its associated service, isolating the complexity of TCP socket management, TLS encryption, and authentication into modular, independently manageable units. This segmentation allows each service to maintain secure connections without bearing the full burden of connection management complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11677726B2Scalable brokerless messaging strategy with sidecar security container stack

Publication Date: 2023.06.13 RAYTHEON CO

AI summary

A scalable brokerless messaging network includes a service mesh implementing a plurality of service nodes in signal communication with one another to exchange a plurality of messages. A control plane is in signal communication with the plurality of service nodes and is configured to register an application service associated with a given service node included in the service mesh. The plurality of service nodes define a messaging middleware layer that establishes several point-to-point connections between each service in the network via transmission control protocol (TCP) sockets.