Distributed Port State Databases for Sub-10ms Network Rerouting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network elements take too long to recover from port failures, leading to increased downtime and packet loss due to inefficient detection of failures and distribution of port states for fast rerouting.
Innovation Solution
Each Forwarding Data Unit within the network element maintains a synchronized port state database to independently select an available port in an UP state associated with a Multi-Link Trunk for fast reroute in case of port failure, enabling traffic to be redirected without control plane intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional network elements use control plane software to handle port failures, then port state management is centralized and simple, but network downtime increases and packet loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the port state management functionality from the control plane and distributes it to multiple forwarding data units in the data plane. Each forwarding data unit maintains its own port state database, enabling independent and parallel failure detection and rerouting decisions, which eliminates the sequential processing bottleneck of centralized control plane software.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-synchronizing port state databases across all forwarding data units before failures occur. Each database is continuously updated with the latest port states through inter-database communication, so that when a failure occurs, all forwarding data units already have the necessary information to immediately perform rerouting without waiting for control plane notification.
2Reliability
If conventional network elements use centralized control plane processing for port failure detection, then system complexity is reduced, but rerouting speed decreases below ten milliseconds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service by allowing each forwarding data unit to independently detect port failures and perform rerouting decisions using its own synchronized port state database. This eliminates the need to request assistance from the control plane for failure detection and rerouting decisions, enabling sub-10-millisecond response times through autonomous local processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of centralized control plane software processing with a distributed hardware-based implementation in the data plane. The port state databases and failure detection logic are implemented as hardware components that can simultaneously process multiple failure scenarios, providing parallel processing capability that achieves sub-10-millisecond rerouting speeds.
3Reliability
If port state information is centralized in control plane software, then data consistency is simplified, but detection precision of port failures decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through inter-database communication mechanisms that continuously exchange port state information between all forwarding data units. Each forwarding data unit monitors the port states relevant to its forwarding decisions and provides feedback to other databases, ensuring that all databases maintain synchronized and accurate port state information for precise failure detection.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product for implementing port selection via synchronized port state databases maintained by the forwarding plane of a network element is presented. Each Forwarding Data Unit (FDU) within the forwarding plane of the network element maintains a respective port state database, each port state database containing a synchronized view of the port state for all ports within the network element. A port selection process is performed by each port state database upon request of its associated FDU, to identify an available port in an UP state associated with a Multi-Link Trunk (MLT) to enable fast reroute between ports associated with the MLT in the event of port failure. The process returns an identified port to the FDU for use by the FDU to forward the packet.