ECMP Pathway Management via Coupled Measurement Probes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies in service provider networks lack a mechanism to ensure that measurement probe packets experience the same pathways as customer data packets, leading to inaccurate measurements and an inability to react to Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations in real-time.
Innovation Solution
The system couples measurement probes with customer traffic by configuring nodes within the network to perform consistent ECMP hashing, using a fixed header bit in the flow label to ensure that probe packets and customer data packets are hashed into the same pathways, and employing a TCAM table to dynamically reroute traffic to compliant pathways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If separate probing techniques are used to measure network pathways, then measurement coverage is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates because probe packets do not follow the same ECMP pathways as customer data packets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates probe packets that are exact copies of customer data packets in terms of header fields used for ECMP hashing. By copying the same header values (source/destination IP addresses, ports, protocol type), the probe packets are hashed into the same ECMP pathway as the original customer traffic, ensuring measurement accuracy while maintaining separate measurement functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a coupling mechanism that acts as an intermediary between customer traffic and measurement probes. This mechanism ensures that probe packets are systematically assigned to follow the same ECMP pathways as customer data packets by matching header fields, thereby mediating between the need for separate measurement and the need for accurate pathway representation
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing probing techniques are used, then network monitoring capability is improved, but the ability to react to SLA violations in real-time deteriorates due to lack of coupling between probe and customer packets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where measurement results from probe packets directly inform routing decisions for subsequent customer data packets. When an SLA violation is detected through probe measurements, the system feeds back this information to dynamically adjust ECMP pathway selection, enabling real-time response to performance degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary coupling of probe packets to customer traffic pathways before measurements are taken. By pre-configuring probe packets to follow the same ECMP pathways as customer data packets using matched header fields, the system ensures that measurements are taken in advance along the actual customer traffic paths, enabling timely detection and response to SLA violations
3Adaptability or versatility
If routers hash probe packets differently from data traffic, then probe packet routing flexibility is improved, but measurement representativeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making probe packets locally identical to customer data packets in the specific header fields that determine ECMP hashing (source IP, destination IP, ports, protocol). This local matching ensures that probe packets are hashed into the same pathways as customer traffic at each router, maintaining measurement representativeness while allowing overall routing flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques and mechanisms for coupling measurement probes with customer data traffic and enabling real-time and selective management of ECMP pathways that are not meeting performance metric(s) in a service provider network. Nodes within the service provider network are configured to perform specific hashing behavior. An ingress node may be configured to create and maintain a TCAM table to store flow label(s) corresponding to ECMP pathways that are not meeting performance metric(s). The system may configure performance measurement session(s) between an ingress node and an egress node. The system may receive performance data, identify pathway(s) violating performance metric(s), and may perform action(s) in real-time.