Egress IP Selection in Distributed Cloud Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distributed cloud computing networks face challenges in selecting an appropriate egress IP address for egress traffic, which can lead to issues such as incorrect geolocation determination, traffic spoofing, and inefficient content delivery.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for selecting an egress IP address in a distributed cloud computing network by mapping egress IP addresses to groupings based on user, device, and traffic characteristics, and using anycast IP addresses to segment traffic and improve latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional unicast IP addresses are used for egress traffic, then connection state can be maintained on both sides, but latency increases and geographic diversity is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple unicast IP addresses into a single anycast IP address that can be advertised from multiple data centers. This allows the system to maintain the benefits of unicast connections (state tracking) while achieving the speed and geographic diversity benefits of anycast routing. The anycast IP address is advertised from multiple locations, and the system tracks which data center should handle return traffic for each connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mapping system that translates between anycast IP addresses and the actual data center locations. This intermediary layer allows the network to route traffic efficiently by directing requests to the appropriate data center while maintaining the appearance of a single anycast address to external clients.
2Loss of time
If anycast IP addresses are used for egress traffic, then latency is reduced and geographic diversity is achieved, but connection state tracking becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system tracks which data center initiated each connection and uses this information to route return traffic appropriately. The mapping system maintains state information about active connections and their associated data centers, allowing the network to feedback routing decisions that preserve connection state despite using anycast addresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary routing decisions by establishing connection state tracking before anycast routing complications arise. The system pre-establishes mappings between connections and data centers, and pre-configures routing rules to ensure return traffic reaches the correct data center that initiated the connection.
3Measurement precision
If multiple egress IP addresses are used for different data centers, then geographic accuracy is improved, but IP address space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple data center IP addresses into a single anycast IP address that serves multiple locations. This consolidation reduces IP address space consumption while maintaining the ability to route traffic to the geographically appropriate data center based on the client's location and the anycast routing infrastructure.
4Device complexity
If egress IP addresses are not mapped to geographic locations, then system complexity is reduced, but geolocation-based content delivery fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mapping system that automatically maintains mappings between anycast IP addresses and geographic locations without requiring manual configuration. The system automatically discovers and updates the geographic associations of data centers advertising anycast addresses, reducing operational complexity while maintaining accurate geolocation information for content delivery decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
A map of IP addresses of a distributed cloud computing network to one or more groupings is stored. The IP addresses are anycast IP addresses for which compute servers of the distributed cloud computing network share. These IP addresses are to be used as source IP addresses when transmitting traffic to destinations external to the cloud computing network. The map is made available to external destinations. Traffic is received at the distributed cloud computing network that is destined to an external destination. An IP address is selected based on the characteristic(s) applicable for the traffic and the map. The distributed cloud computing network transmits the traffic to the external destination using the selected IP address.