Cumulative Bandwidth Mark for Network Congestion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network congestion control methods fail to effectively balance bandwidth utilization and congestion avoidance, leading to poor network utilization and inefficient resource allocation due to conflicting requirements and reactive rate adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A novel protocol that explicitly notifies source nodes of cumulative bandwidth utilization and congestion states along the network path through a dedicated mark in packet headers, allowing for dynamic adjustment of transmission rates based on cumulative states such as congestion, normal, and underutilization, thereby optimizing bandwidth utilization and avoiding congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If reactive congestion control is used, then congestion avoidance is achieved, but bandwidth utilization deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by notifying source nodes of cumulative bandwidth utilization conditions before congestion occurs. Network elements along the path generate notifications about underutilization or congestion states in advance, allowing source nodes to proactively adjust transmission rates to prevent congestion while maintaining high bandwidth utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a notification mechanism where network elements continuously report cumulative bandwidth utilization conditions back to source nodes. This feedback loop enables dynamic rate adjustment at the source based on actual network path conditions, resolving the contradiction between congestion avoidance and bandwidth utilization.
2Productivity
If cumulative state notification is implemented, then bandwidth utilization improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the network path into individual network elements, each responsible for monitoring and reporting its local bandwidth utilization condition. This segmentation allows distributed state notification without requiring complex centralized control, improving bandwidth utilization while managing protocol complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a multi-functional notification mechanism that can operate in different modes (underutilization notification, congestion notification, or both). The same basic protocol framework supports multiple operational scenarios, reducing overall system complexity while enabling flexible bandwidth optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
A network element includes circuitry and multiple ports. The multiple ports are configured to connect to a communication network. The circuitry is configured to receive via one of the ports a packet that originated from a source node and is destined to a destination node, the packet including a mark that is indicative of a cumulative state derived from at least bandwidth utilization conditions of output ports that were traversed by the packet along a path, from the source node up to the network element, to select a port for forwarding the packet toward the destination node, to update the mark of the packet based at least on a value of the mark in the received packet and on a local bandwidth utilization condition of the selected port, and to transmit the packet having the updated mark to the destination node via the selected port.