Compressed Routing Header for Segment Routing Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Segment routing is inefficient due to the need for nodes to copy and store long lists of IP addresses, expending significant processing and memory resources, and often requires numerous network topology messages to generate and update segment translation tables.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Compressed Routing Header (CRH) that uses variable-length segment identifiers (SIDs) between 8 and 64 bits, allowing nodes to route packets through a pre-defined path without including IP addresses for each hop, and generating segment translation tables based on a minimum set of network topology messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional segment routing uses full IP address lists in routing headers, then routing precision is maintained, but header length and processing overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segment identifiers (SIDs) that are copies or references to IP addresses rather than storing full IP address lists. Each SID is a condensed representation that nodes can resolve to actual IP addresses through translation tables, reducing header length while maintaining routing information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from full IP addresses (128 bits) to compressed segment identifiers (variable length, typically shorter). This parameter transformation reduces the routing header length while nodes maintain the ability to resolve SIDs to full addresses through their translation tables.
2Reliability
If nodes store complete IP address lists for segment routing, then routing accuracy is preserved, but memory resources are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing complete IP address lists in memory, nodes store compressed segment identifiers and their corresponding translation tables. The translation tables map SIDs to IP addresses, reducing the quantity of data stored in memory while maintaining routing accuracy through the translation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the routing information into separate components: segment identifiers in the routing header and translation tables stored at nodes. This segmentation allows routing accuracy to be maintained through the SID-to-IP address translation process while reducing the memory burden of storing complete address lists.
3Productivity
If conventional segment routing updates translation tables frequently, then routing responsiveness is maintained, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes translation tables in advance during network setup or topology changes, so that routing decisions can be made quickly without frequent updates. Nodes pre-resolve and store SID-to-IP address mappings, reducing the need for real-time translation table updates and minimizing processing overhead during packet forwarding.
Data Source
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AI summary
A node may receive a network topology message that identifies a first association of a first segment identifier (SID), relating to a loosely routed segment of a network, and an address of a first terminal interface associated with the loosely routed segment, or a second association of a second SID, relating to a strictly routed segment of the network, and an address of a second terminal interface associated with the strictly routed segment. The node may generate an entry in a segment translation table based on the first association or the second association. The node may route, according to the segment translation table, an internet protocol (IP) payload packet that has been encapsulated using an IPv6 transport header that has been extended with a compressed routing header of variable length.