Dual-Mode Forwarding Plane for ICN Traffic Scalability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Information-Centric Networks (ICNs), the Pending Interest Table (PIT) scalability issues arise when handling conversational traffic models like VoIP, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for maintaining stateful records for each user, which is not necessary for non-shareable communications.
Innovation Solution
A dual-mode data forwarding plane operation is introduced, utilizing a Forwarding Information Base (FIB) for expedite mode conversational traffic and PIT for non-expedite mode content dissemination traffic, allowing for flexible and scalable handling of both traffic models without the need for extensive PIT entries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If PIT is used for all traffic types in ICN, then content dissemination traffic can be handled with stateful routing and caching, but conversational traffic generates unnecessary PIT entries that reduce scalability and increase routing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the forwarding plane into two distinct modes: stateful mode for content dissemination traffic and stateless mode for conversational traffic. This segmentation allows the system to handle different traffic types with appropriate forwarding mechanisms, avoiding the creation of unnecessary PIT entries for conversational traffic while maintaining PIT functionality for content dissemination traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic mode switching capability that allows the forwarding plane to adapt between stateful and stateless modes based on traffic type. The system can dynamically select the appropriate forwarding mode for each packet, enabling flexible handling of mixed traffic patterns without being constrained by a single forwarding approach.
2Reliability
If stateful routing with PIT is used for conversational traffic, then routing decisions can be made based on content names, but unnecessary state records are maintained for non-shareable communications increasing memory usage and processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stateful PIT functionality from the general forwarding plane and creates a separate stateless forwarding path for conversational traffic. This extraction removes the harmful effect of unnecessary PIT entries for conversational traffic while preserving the beneficial stateful routing for content dissemination traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different forwarding qualities to different traffic types: stateful forwarding with PIT for content dissemination traffic and stateless forwarding without PIT for conversational traffic. This local quality approach ensures that each traffic type receives the appropriate level of state management, optimizing both routing accuracy and resource utilization.
3Productivity
If dual-mode forwarding plane is implemented, then routing efficiency is improved for conversational traffic by using FIB without PIT, but system complexity increases due to maintaining both stateful and stateless forwarding paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal forwarding plane that can operate in both stateful and stateless modes, allowing a single system to handle multiple traffic types efficiently. The dual-mode capability enables the forwarding plane to function as either a traditional stateful router or a stateless router depending on the traffic requirements, providing multi-functionality without requiring separate dedicated systems.
Data Source
AI summary
A networking system comprising a content router for an information-centric network (ICN) comprising a content store (CS), a pending interest table (PIT), a forwarding information base (FIB), and a plurality of interfaces, and configured to receive and forward interest from one or more users and data from one or more applications via the interfaces using a dual-mode data forwarding plane, and a plurality of next hop nodes of the ICN coupled to the content router and configured to forward the interest and data to the content router via the interfaces, wherein the dual-mode forwarding plane forwards the interest and data using the FIB without the CS and PIT for conversational traffic and using the CS, PIT, and FIB for content dissemination traffic.