Coordinated Load Balancing for Network Packet Forwarding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Load balancing in network devices often leads to overloading of communication links due to the lack of coordination between packet forwarding components, resulting in dropped data packets and inefficient resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

A load balancing component in a network device obtains and analyzes load balancing metrics from multiple packet forwarding components to determine a scheduling schedule that balances traffic distribution across communication links, using machine learning techniques to adjust traffic flows and prevent overloading.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If packet forwarding components independently perform load balancing based on their own metrics, then each component can optimize its own traffic distribution, but communication links become overloaded due to lack of coordination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetraffic distribution efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication link load balance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the load balancing functions of multiple packet forwarding components into a single coordinated system. The load balancing component aggregates metrics from all packet forwarding components and generates unified traffic distribution indications, ensuring that communication links are balanced across the entire network device rather than independently at each component level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the load balancing component continuously receives metrics from packet forwarding components about current traffic distribution and link utilization. Based on this feedback, the load balancing component dynamically adjusts traffic distribution indications to maintain optimal load balance across communication links.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If load balancing is performed without coordination, then individual packet forwarding components can operate autonomously, but data packets are dropped due to link overloading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent autonomyVSAvoidpacket delivery success rate

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a load balancing component as an intermediary between packet forwarding components and communication links. This intermediary aggregates metrics from autonomous packet forwarding components, processes the information centrally, and distributes coordinated traffic allocation decisions back to the components, thereby preventing link overloading while preserving component operational independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If traffic distribution is not optimized, then network resources are underutilized, but computing and network resources are wasted when links are overloaded and packets are dropped

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilization flexibilityVSAvoidcomputing and network resource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic load balancing where the load balancing component continuously monitors traffic distribution metrics and communication link utilization in real-time. The system dynamically adjusts traffic distribution indications based on current conditions, optimizing resource utilization as network conditions change and preventing waste from both underutilization and overload scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11729101B1Load balancing over a plurality of packet forwarding components

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A load balancing component may obtain, from a plurality of packet forwarding components of the network device, indications of load balancing metrics associated with a plurality of communication links that the plurality of packet forwarding components use to forward packet data. The load balancing component may determine, based on the load balancing metrics, aggregate load balancing metrics associated with respective communication links of the plurality of communication links. The load balancing component may identify an imbalance in load balancing metrics. The load balancing component may determine, based on the imbalance, a load balancing schedule that indicates traffic distributions for the plurality of packet forwarding components. The load balancing component may provide indications of the traffic distributions to the plurality of packet forwarding components to permit the plurality of packet forwarding components to forward packet data based on the indications of the traffic distributions.