Centralized Controller for Aggregation Network Topology Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service providers face challenges in managing access networks due to varying user densities, requiring complex and costly infrastructure with high management complexity, especially in scaling and configuring access and aggregation nodes to efficiently handle subscriber traffic.
Innovation Solution
A centralized controller is introduced to configure access and aggregation nodes, operating as a cloud-based control plane to provide seamless end-to-end service, simplifying topology discovery and path provisioning through the Cloud Control Protocol (CCP), which enables nodes to automatically discover neighbors and establish Source Routed Tunnels, reducing the need for complex control-plane functions in access and aggregation nodes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional high-end routers with complex control-plane functions are used in aggregation networks, then routing and forwarding capabilities are robust, but device cost and management complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control plane functions by introducing a centralized controller that handles complex routing protocols (OSPF, IS-IS, BGP) and topology management, while aggregation nodes execute only simplified forwarding based on centralized instructions. This separation allows robust routing capabilities to be maintained through the centralized controller while aggregation nodes become simple, low-cost forwarding devices with minimal control-plane functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller acts as an intermediary between the core network and aggregation nodes. It receives routing information from the core network, computes optimal paths, and distributes forwarding instructions to aggregation nodes. This intermediary approach enables complex routing logic to be centralized while keeping individual aggregation nodes simple and easy to manage.
2Productivity
If access networks are designed to handle high user densities, then service capacity increases, but infrastructure cost and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized controller provides universal control functionality for the entire aggregation network, handling routing, forwarding, and topology management for all aggregation nodes uniformly. This multi-functional approach allows the system to scale to handle varying user densities without requiring different complex configurations at each aggregation node, thereby increasing service capacity while maintaining infrastructure simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If centralized control is implemented to simplify node configuration, then management complexity decreases, but control channel establishment and topology discovery become critical challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where aggregation nodes automatically execute control plane protocols (CCP, OMP) to discover their topology, establish control channels with the centralized controller, and receive forwarding instructions without manual configuration. This automation simplifies management operations while the control plane complexity is contained within the standardized protocol implementations at each node.
Data Source
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AI summary
An access network is described in which a centralized controller (35) provides seamless end-to-end service from a core-facing edge of a service provider network (20) through aggregation and access infrastructure (24) out to access nodes (28, 36) located proximate to the subscriber devices (18). The controller (35) operates to provide a central configuration point for configuring aggregation nodes (19) of a network of the service provider (20) so as to provide transport services to transport traffic between access nodes (28, 26) and edge routers (30) on opposite borders of the network.