Ethernet Header Compression via Dummy Data Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing header compression schemes for Ethernet communication protocols are inefficient due to large header sizes, especially when carrying small payloads, and they lack security as the compression key is detectable across the network, making the traffic vulnerable to interception.
Innovation Solution
A method where a 'dummy' data structure is used to disguise the compression key, encapsulated within a carrier Ethernet frame, which is only recognizable by special edge nodes, allowing the original header to be reinstated, thus reducing bandwidth usage and enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard Ethernet headers are used for each carrier Ethernet frame, then routing and forwarding information is preserved, but bandwidth efficiency deteriorates when carrying small payloads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the Ethernet header information from each carrier Ethernet frame and replaces it with a compression key. The full header information is stored in a data store at the ingress node, and only the compression key (which is much smaller) is transmitted in the carrier frame. At the egress node, the compression key is used to retrieve the original header information from the data store, thus preserving routing information while reducing bandwidth consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting the full Ethernet header in each frame, the patent inverts the approach by transmitting a compression key that references the header information stored in a data store. The egress node performs the reverse operation by using the compression key to retrieve and reconstruct the original header information, achieving bandwidth efficiency without loss of routing data.
2Ease of operation
If compression keys are made detectable within the carrier network for header decompression, then header compression functionality is enabled, but security deteriorates due to traffic flow identification vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a special edge node as an intermediary between the ingress and egress nodes. This special edge node is the only node in the carrier network that can detect and recognize the compression key format. It performs the header decompression function by using the compression key to retrieve header information from the data store, while other network nodes cannot identify the compression key, thus maintaining security while enabling decompression functionality.
3Loss of energy
If TCP or RTP header compression schemes are used at layer 3 or higher, then bandwidth efficiency improves, but device complexity increases due to link-by-link compression requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies header compression at the Ethernet layer (layer 2), which is universally applicable to all Ethernet traffic regardless of the upper-layer protocol. This multi-functional approach allows the same compression mechanism to work for various types of traffic (IP, non-IP, different protocols) without requiring separate compression schemes for each protocol stack level, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of reducing the bandwidth required to send traffic comprising a payload and a header originating in a first communications network over another communications network, the traffic being characterised by having header information from which a path from its source to destination can be predetermined, the method comprising: determining redundant header information which is not used for forwarding said traffic in said other network; replacing at least part or all of said redundant header information with compression information having a smaller bandwidth than said replaced header information; appending header information to said traffic to enable forwarding along said path in said other network to an egress node; at the egress node, processing the traffic to remove the appended header information and restore the replaced header information by removing the compression information and using the compression information to perform a look-up operation which retrieves the replaced redundant header information from a data store, wherein the same compression information is used to replace the same redundant header information for all said traffic having the same predetermined path; compression information comprising a dummy header data structure which conforms to a communications protocol arranged to be identifiable by traffic type in a carrier frame.