Distributed Service Routing Protocol for Virtual Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional routing protocols in virtual computing environments with thousands of nodes inefficiently use network resources and are burdensome due to high network traffic overhead and maintenance requirements, leading to potential single-point-of-failure issues.
Innovation Solution
A distributed service routing protocol (DSRP) that operates on a partial-mesh network, using edge routers and gateway routers to communicate messages, construct neighbor tables, and converge network routes, thereby reducing resource usage and avoiding single-point-of-failure scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fully-meshed network is used to avoid single-point-of-failure, then network reliability is improved, but network table size and routing overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into virtual network nodes and physical network nodes, allowing virtual nodes to maintain simplified routing tables while physical nodes handle the complexity of mesh connectivity. This segmentation enables reliability through virtual mesh topology without requiring each physical node to maintain full mesh routing tables.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a routing protocol that acts as an intermediary layer between physical network connectivity and virtual network routing. This protocol translates physical mesh connectivity into virtual routing information, allowing nodes to achieve mesh-like reliability without maintaining full mesh routing tables locally.
2Loss of information
If each node maintains and exchanges complete routing tables in a full-mesh network, then routing information availability is improved, but network traffic overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having different node types maintain different routing information. Virtual network nodes maintain only essential routing tables for their virtual neighbors, while physical gateway nodes maintain more complete routing information. This localized information storage reduces overall network traffic overhead while maintaining routing availability.
3Reliability
If traditional routing protocols are used in virtual computing environments with thousands of nodes, then comprehensive routing coverage is achieved, but resource usage becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtualization dimension to the network architecture, creating virtual network nodes that operate above the physical network layer. This dimensional change allows routing protocols to operate on virtual nodes with simplified topologies, reducing the computational and communication resources required while maintaining comprehensive routing coverage through the virtual layer.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic service routing protocol (DSRP) communicates messages (e.g., containing information regarding network routes and tables) across a partial-mesh network of nodes. Gateway nodes (i.e., computing devices that operate as a final sink point for a service route) are connected to edge routers (i.e., computing devices that operate as a transit for a service route) but not necessarily to other host nodes. Gateway nodes asynchronously and/or dynamically send DSRP messages for updating the router nodes' routing tables and to minimize manual route configuration.