Ethernet Ring Address Refresh via PF Flag Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current address refreshing schemes in Ethernet ring networks cause repeated refreshing of the address forwarding list during topology changes, leading to prolonged network instability and increased risk of broadcast storms due to inconsistent identifier information being propagated across nodes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a flag-based system where nodes only refresh their address forwarding lists when receiving inconsistent identifier information and not configured with a 'PF' flag, thereby preventing unnecessary refreshes and synchronizing updates efficiently across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If nodes refresh address forwarding lists periodically when receiving protocol messages with refreshing information, then address forwarding lists can be updated to reflect topology changes, but repeated refreshing occurs causing prolonged network instability and increased risk of broadcast storms
Solution Approach 1:
The control node performs preliminary actions by determining which nodes need address list refreshing before flooding protocol messages. It calculates the difference between current and previous topology, identifies affected nodes, and sends targeted refresh messages only to those nodes, preventing unnecessary repeated refreshing across the entire network
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly refreshing address lists at all nodes, the invention applies local quality by identifying and refreshing only at specific nodes where topology changes actually affect forwarding paths. The control node determines which nodes have changed forwarding relationships and sends refresh messages selectively to those local nodes only
2Loss of information
If the control node sends protocol messages with address refreshing information to all nodes, then all nodes can update their address forwarding lists, but unnecessary refreshes occur at nodes not affected by topology changes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful element of universal flooding by taking out only the necessary refresh information for affected nodes. The control node calculates which nodes actually need updating based on topology change analysis, extracts their specific refresh requirements, and sends targeted messages only to those nodes, eliminating unnecessary refresh traffic that could cause broadcast storms
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for refreshing addresses are disclosed. Said method includes: when state switching between a link fault and a fault recovery occurs in a link, a node where a port related to this link is situated refreshing an address forwarding list, and configuring a flag PF for suspending an operation of refreshing an address forwarding list on other ports of this node, and sending protocol message with address refreshing information to other nodes; and when ports of other nodes receive said protocol message, refreshing the address forwarding list only when identifier information included in this protocol message is inconsistent with identifier information stored in this port and this port is not configured with said PF flag. Said method and system judge whether to refresh the address forwarding list according to said PF flag, and determine whether to refresh the address forwarding list according to the judgment result.