End-to-End Path Selection with Dynamic Multipath Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing load balancing techniques in network devices do not consider the quality of remote links, leading to suboptimal path selection and congestion, which affects latency, throughput, and resource utilization, especially for AI/ML traffic.

Innovation Solution

Implement dynamic multipath load balancing by monitoring local and remote path quality across network devices, enabling optimal end-to-end path selection based on local and remote path quality information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing load balancing techniques are used that only consider local links, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but path quality is suboptimal and congestion occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepath qualityVSAvoidload balancing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the path quality assessment into two distinct components: local path quality (monitored by individual network devices on directly connected links) and remote path quality (monitored by other network devices and shared via route location identifier attributes). This segmentation allows each device to maintain manageable complexity while collectively achieving comprehensive path quality assessment for optimal load balancing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If dynamic multipath load balancing with remote link monitoring is implemented, then path quality and resource utilization are improved, but device complexity and information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidinformation processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces route location identifier attributes as intermediaries that carry remote path quality information between network devices. Instead of each device directly monitoring and processing all remote links, the route location identifier attributes act as mediators that encapsulate and transmit path quality data, reducing information processing complexity while enabling comprehensive resource utilization optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of time

If comprehensive path quality monitoring is implemented across all network devices, then latency is reduced and throughput is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork latencyVSAvoidpath quality measurement difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality monitoring where each network device monitors and reports path quality for its directly connected local links only. The comprehensive end-to-end path quality is then constructed by combining these local quality measurements from multiple devices along the path. This approach reduces the measurement difficulty for each individual device while achieving comprehensive latency optimization for the entire network path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4614932A1Dynamic multipath load balancing
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC
  • EP4614932A1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4614932A1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4614932A1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

In some implementations, a first network device may receive a first message generated by an originating network device that includes a route location identifier attribute associated with an address identifier. The first network device may determine, based on the route location identifier attribute, route information associated with the address identifier.