Dummy VLAN Tag for Consistent Packet Prioritization
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Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed routing systems, maintaining consistent packet prioritization across network devices is challenging due to varying interpretations of priority indicators based on ingress ports, leading to improper processing and potential lossless traffic transmission issues.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dummy VLAN tag that identifies a standardized forwarding class, ensuring consistent packet prioritization without requiring standardized priority indicators across all ingress ports or overwriting the original priority indicator, allowing for end-to-end lossless traffic transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If network devices use varying priority interpretations based on ingress ports, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but packet prioritization consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dummy VLAN tag as an intermediary element that carries standardized priority information between network devices. This dummy tag acts as a mediator that translates local port-based priority interpretations into a standardized form that can be consistently understood across different devices in the distributed routing system, thereby maintaining both operational flexibility and prioritization consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the priority information into two distinct components: the original priority indicator that maintains local device compatibility and the dummy VLAN tag that carries standardized priority information. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between local flexibility and global consistency.
2Reliability
If standardized priority indicators are implemented across all ingress ports, then packet prioritization consistency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dummy VLAN tag serves as an intermediary that carries standardized priority information without requiring changes to the existing ingress port configurations. This allows standardized prioritization to be achieved while maintaining the original device complexity level, as the standardization is implemented through the packet data rather than through complex device reconfiguration.
3Reliability
If original priority indicators are overwritten to ensure consistency, then packet prioritization consistency is improved, but information loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the priority information into two distinct components: the original priority indicator that maintains local device compatibility and the dummy VLAN tag that carries standardized priority information. This segmentation allows each component to serve its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between local flexibility and global consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of overwriting the original priority indicator, the patent changes the parameter space by adding a new field (the dummy VLAN tag) that carries the standardized priority information. This parameter change approach preserves all original information while adding the necessary standardized information, avoiding any information loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed routing system may include a first network device. The first network device may receive a packet that includes a first virtual local area network (VLAN) tag. The first network device may identify a packet priority based on a port via which the packet is received and information included in the first VLAN tag. The first network device may assign a forwarding class to the packet based on the packet priority. The first network device may generate a second VLAN tag that identifies the forwarding class. The first network device may add the second VLAN tag to the packet while keeping the first VLAN tag in the packet. The first network device may transmit the packet, including the first VLAN tag and the second VLAN tag, to a second network device included in the distributed routing system.