Capability-Aware Load Balancer Routing via Unequal Path Costs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional service request distribution in software-defined networks is sub-optimal and fault-intolerant, especially when performance degrades at a load balancer, due to uniform distribution approaches that do not consider varying capability levels among load balancers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing unequal cost path routing by dynamically assigning path costs to load balancers based on their capability information, which includes metrics such as hardware, software, and network conditions, to steer service requests to load balancers with higher capability levels, thereby improving resilience and fault tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If uniform service request distribution is used among load balancers, then simplicity of distribution is maintained, but system resilience and fault tolerance deteriorate when performance degrades at a load balancer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the distribution parameter from uniform cost to capability-aware unequal cost. Each load balancer is assigned a path cost inversely proportional to its capability level (e.g., LB1 with capability 100 gets cost 1, LB2 with capability 50 gets cost 2). This parameter change enables the system to dynamically adapt to varying load balancer capabilities while maintaining a relatively simple distribution mechanism at the network element.
2Ease of operation
If service requests are distributed to all load balancers uniformly, then load balancer utilization is simplified, but resource utilization efficiency deteriorates due to overloading lower-capability balancers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making each load balancer's distribution weight specific to its capability level. Instead of a blanket uniform distribution policy, each load balancer receives a customized distribution weight based on its hardware, software, and network capabilities. This allows the system to maintain operational simplicity while significantly improving resource utilization efficiency by preventing overloading of lower-capability balancers.
3Reliability
If capability-aware unequal cost distribution is implemented, then system resilience and fault tolerance are improved, but distribution mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where load balancers report their capability levels (hardware, software, network conditions) to the network element. The network element uses this feedback to dynamically calculate and adjust path costs. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain high resilience and fault tolerance while keeping the distribution mechanism complexity manageable through automated capability assessment and dynamic cost adjustment.
4Device complexity
If uniform path cost is assigned to all load balancers, then routing simplicity is maintained, but service request handling efficiency deteriorates due to mismatch between request distribution and balancer capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static uniform path cost into a dynamic capability-aware path cost. The path cost for each load balancer is not fixed but dynamically adjusted based on real-time capability assessments. This dynamic approach allows the routing mechanism to adapt to changing load balancer states, significantly improving service request handling efficiency while keeping routing complexity manageable through automated capability monitoring and cost recalculation.
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods and systems for capability-aware service request distribution are described. In one example, a network element may obtain a set of capability information associated with multiple load balancers capable of service request handling and identify varying capability levels among the multiple load balancers. The network element may assign unequal path cost information to the multiple load balancers to indicate the varying capability levels. The unequal path cost information may include (a) a first path cost that is assigned to the first load balancer; and (b) a second path cost that is assigned to the second load balancer and different to the first path cost to indicate the lower capability level of the second load balancer compared to the first load balancer. In response to detecting a service request, the service request may be steered towards one of the multiple load balancers based on the unequal path cost information.