Distributed Traffic Policing for Aggregated Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traffic policing methods are inadequate for logically aggregated links, as they fail to effectively enforce Quality of Service (QoS) and protection mechanisms, as policing is typically performed on individual traffic cards rather than the aggregated link as a whole.
Innovation Solution
A distributed traffic policing method where each policer processes flows from physically separate links, exchanging information to adjust control parameters and behave as a single entity, ensuring QoS awareness and protection across the aggregated link, using algorithms like the Two Rate Three Color Marker to classify and mark packets based on compliance with service level specifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traffic policing is performed on individual traffic cards, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but QoS enforcement and protection mechanisms across logically aggregated links deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments traffic policing functionality into distributed policers on individual traffic cards while maintaining coordinated control. Each traffic card has its own policer that independently monitors and polices traffic on its assigned physical links, yet all policers share common control parameters (CIR, PIR, CBS, EBS) to ensure unified QoS enforcement across the aggregated link.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where policers on different traffic cards exchange information about traffic conditions and policing actions. This allows the network to dynamically adjust control parameters based on actual traffic patterns and link utilization, ensuring consistent QoS enforcement across the logically aggregated link while maintaining operational simplicity at each card level.
2Reliability
If distributed policers are introduced on multiple traffic cards, then QoS awareness and protection mechanisms are improved, but device complexity and information exchange requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by implementing a standardized policer architecture that can be deployed on any traffic card handling aggregated link traffic. All policers use the same control parameters (CIR, PIR, CBS, EBS) and follow identical policing algorithms, making the system universally applicable across different cards while reducing the need for card-specific complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by dynamically adjusting control parameters (CIR, PIR, CBS, EBS) based on traffic conditions and link characteristics, rather than hardcoding complex policing logic. This parameter-based approach allows flexible QoS enforcement while keeping the underlying policer implementation simple and uniform across all traffic cards.
3Quantity of substance
If traffic is distributed over multiple physical links, then bandwidth capacity and protection capability are improved, but coordinated traffic policing and QoS enforcement become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the coordination challenge by introducing a new dimension of abstraction - the logical aggregated link - that sits above the physical link layer. Traffic policing is performed at this logical level using aggregated traffic parameters, allowing coordinated QoS enforcement across multiple physical links without requiring direct coordination between them. This dimensional shift simplifies the policing architecture while maintaining the benefits of distributed bandwidth and protection.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and a method are described in which a flow of packets is distributed in several separate flows over several links (12) forming a logically aggregated link (11). The flow outgoing from each physical link is sent to its own policer (18) which applies to said flow a traffic policing algorithm with the policers being interconnected to exchange algorithm control parameter modification information to fit them in among the various policers while allowing for the control parameters of the others so that a distributed policer (15) is realized.