Cloud Edge Forwarding for Simplified Underlay Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication networks are complex, costly, and difficult to maintain due to the need for complex forwarding and routing operations, requiring skilled IT personnel and vendor-specific configurations.
Innovation Solution
Moving user-aware networking functions from network devices in the communication network to a cloud edge, where packets are processed and forwarded by a cloud edge network device, simplifying the underlay network devices and enabling them to focus on secure and reliable packet transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If network devices perform complex forwarding and routing operations based on network addresses, then packet delivery accuracy is improved, but device complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex forwarding and routing decision-making function from traditional network devices and relocates it to cloud-based controllers. Network devices only perform simple packet encapsulation with overlay network addresses and transmission, while the cloud controller handles complex address analysis, forwarding table maintenance, and routing decisions. This extraction resolves the contradiction by removing complexity from edge devices while maintaining accurate packet delivery through centralized intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an overlay network as an intermediary layer between endpoint devices and the cloud controller. The overlay network encapsulates original packets with additional header information containing cloud controller addresses and network interface identifiers. This intermediary mechanism enables simple network devices to forward packets accurately without needing to analyze destination addresses or maintain complex routing tables, as the overlay header provides all necessary forwarding information.
2Reliability
If network devices perform multiple networking functions such as VLAN assignment and ACL application, then network security and management are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts advanced networking functions including VLAN assignment, access control list (ACL) application, and quality of service (QoS) management from traditional network devices and relocates them to cloud-based controllers. The network devices only perform basic packet reception, encapsulation with overlay headers containing cloud controller identifiers, and transmission. This extraction maintains network security and management capabilities through centralized cloud control while significantly reducing device complexity and cost at the network edge.
3Measurement precision
If network devices maintain complex forwarding tables and perform complex lookups, then packet routing accuracy is improved, but processing time and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing overlay network paths and encapsulating packets with complete forwarding information before transmission. The overlay header contains pre-calculated cloud controller addresses and network interface identifiers, eliminating the need for real-time address lookup and routing decisions at network devices. This preliminary preparation of forwarding information maintains routing accuracy while significantly reducing packet processing time at the network edge.
Solution Approach 2:
The overlay network acts as an intermediary that carries pre-established routing information through encapsulated headers. Instead of performing complex lookups at each network device, the overlay header provides direct forwarding instructions to cloud controllers, which then handle detailed routing decisions. This intermediary mechanism preserves routing accuracy while eliminating time-consuming lookup operations at edge devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet is received via a first network interface of a first network device in an underlay network, the packet having been originated by a first endpoint device and including a first network address indicating a destination of the first packet. The first network device, without analyzing the first network address in the first packet, adds, to the first packet, a second network address corresponding to a cloud edge network device implemented at the cloud edge and information identifying the first network interface via which the first packet was received by the first network device. The first network device transmits the packet, via an overlay network layered over the underlay network, to the cloud edge network device to enable forwarding of the packet to the destination of the packet, based on the first network address included in the packet, by the cloud edge network device