Edge Device Network State Synchronization for Workload Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network traffic management systems face challenges in ensuring uninterrupted stateful monitoring and policy-based services during workload migration, leading to potential traffic disruption and packet loss.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of edge devices that synchronize network states through secure communication channels, allowing for incremental delta updates and final synchronization of network states during workload migration, ensuring seamless transitions without impacting existing flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If workload migration is performed without network state synchronization, then migration speed is improved, but traffic disruption and packet loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary network state synchronization before workload migration by establishing a secure communication channel and transferring the complete network state from source to destination edge device. This preliminary action ensures the destination device is ready to handle traffic immediately upon migration, preventing disruption and packet loss while maintaining fast migration speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary synchronization mechanism that mediates between the source and destination edge devices during migration. The secure communication channel acts as an intermediary to transfer network state, and the synchronization protocol coordinates the transition, ensuring seamless traffic handoff without loss or disruption.
2Reliability
If complete network state synchronization is performed, then service continuity is improved, but synchronization time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network state synchronization is segmented into distinct phases: initial complete state transfer, incremental delta updates, and final synchronization. This segmentation allows the system to transfer only essential state information initially, then apply smaller incremental updates, reducing overall synchronization time while maintaining service continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic incremental synchronization where the destination edge device requests delta updates at intervals during the migration process. This periodic action allows the synchronization to proceed in manageable bursts rather than requiring a single lengthy transfer, reducing perceived synchronization time while ensuring service continuity.
3Productivity
If incremental delta updates are used, then synchronization efficiency is improved, but complexity of synchronization protocol increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameter representation of network state by using incremental deltas instead of complete state transfers. This parameter change optimizes synchronization efficiency by transmitting only modified portions of the network state. The protocol manages complexity through structured delta encoding and version tracking, making the incremental approach practical despite the increased protocol requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Described are edge devices configured to perform operations to migrate a workload. These operations comprise: receiving a migration trigger comprising an indication of a migration of a workload from a source edge device; establishing a secure communication channel with the source edge device; receiving a network state for the workload from the source edge device; quiescing a datapath for processing flows associated with the workload; receiving incremental deltas comprising changes to the network state from the source edge device; updating the datapath for processing flows associated with the workload based on the received incremental changes; providing, to the source edge device, a request for a final synchronization; receiving, from the source edge device, a final synchronization delta comprising incremental information for the network state as modified since the most recently received incremental change; and removing the quiescing of the datapath to facilitate use of the network state.