Network Controller Flow Rule Adjustment for Port Failure
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a network communication system combining PCIe and Ethernet, if the EoP or Ethernet port of a host fails, it cannot correctly perform intra-rack or inter-rack packet transmission/reception, leading to communication disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A controller that receives the health status of each port of hosts and adjusts packet flow rules to reroute packets through functional ports or relay hosts, ensuring continuous communication by modifying intra-rack and inter-rack flow rules when port failures occur.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the EoP port or Ethernet port of a host fails, then the host cannot correctly perform intra-rack or inter-rack packet transmission/reception, but the network communication system needs to maintain continuous communication
Solution Approach 1:
The controller pre-configures backup flow rules and monitors port health status proactively. When a port failure is detected, the controller has already prepared alternative routing paths, enabling rapid switch from primary to backup routes without communication interruption. This preliminary preparation ensures reliability is maintained while operational complexity is minimized.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that mediates between the failed port and the network communication. It receives health status information, determines appropriate flow rule adjustments, and transmits modified rules to hosts. This intermediary function isolates the failure impact and maintains correct packet transmission through alternative paths.
2Reliability
If the controller dynamically adjusts flow rules to reroute packets through alternative ports or relay hosts, then network availability is enhanced, but the complexity of flow rule management increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements a feedback mechanism where hosts report port health status to the controller. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically adjusts flow rules and provides updated routing instructions to hosts. This closed-loop feedback system enables dynamic adaptability to failures while keeping the control logic centralized and manageable, balancing reliability enhancement with operational simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides a controller, a method for adjusting packet flow rule, and a network communication system. The method includes: receiving, by a controller, a health status of a first port and a health status of a second port of each of a plurality of hosts in the network communication system; adjusting a packet flow rule of each of the hosts based on the health status of the first port and the health status of the second port of each of the hosts; and transmitting the adjusted packet flow rule of each of the hosts to each of the corresponding hosts to control each of the hosts to transceive a packet according to the corresponding packet flow rule.