Context-Bitmap Flow Cache for Intelligent Network Export
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional IPFIX protocols are not well-suited to leverage the advanced capabilities of SmartNICs, limiting the flexibility and intelligence in exporting network flow information.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a context-bitmap in the flow cache that includes context-specific bits for security, performance, latency, and error contexts, allowing for context-directed export policies to be applied dynamically, enabling more intelligent and flexible flow information export.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional IPFIX protocol is used for exporting network flow information, then basic packet counting and byte counting functionality is provided, but the flexibility and intelligence in exporting flow information is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic export policies that adapt to different flow contexts. Context-bitmaps are dynamically updated based on flow characteristics (security, performance, latency, error contexts), and export policies are dynamically selected based on these updated bitmaps. This allows the system to flexibly export information for specific flow types (e.g., short-lived vs. long-lived flows) while maintaining a manageable underlying structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation by introducing context-bitmaps with specific bits for different flow contexts (security bit, performance bit, latency bit, error bit). By modifying these bitmap parameters based on flow characteristics, the system can selectively export information with enhanced flexibility without requiring complete redesign of the export mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If context-bitmap with multiple context-specific bits is implemented in flow cache, then context-aware export capability is enhanced, but flow cache structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow context information into distinct context-bitmap fields, each representing a specific aspect (security context, performance context, latency context, error context). This segmentation allows the system to selectively update and export only relevant context information for each flow type, enhancing context-aware capability while keeping the overall structure organized and manageable through clear field separation.
3Extent of automation
If export policies are dynamically selected based on context-bitmap, then export intelligence is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining export policies and organizing them based on context-bitmap patterns. When a flow is identified, the system updates the context-bitmap and performs a lookup to select the appropriate pre-defined export policy. This preliminary organization of policies reduces the processing time required for dynamic policy selection, as the system doesn't need to create policies on-the-fly but can efficiently match flows to pre-configured policies based on their context-bitmaps.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for exporting network information from an exporter to a collector are disclosed. Embodiments of the present technology may include updating a non-key field of a flow entry in a flow cache that corresponds to a flow, setting a field in a context-bitmap of the flow entry in response to updating the non-key field of the flow entry, identifying an export policy using the context-bitmap, and exporting information related to the flow to a collector according to the export policy.