Explicit Path Packet Forwarding for Microloop-Free Route Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microloops occur in IP networks due to transient inconsistencies during multi-source route switching, causing network packet loss, delay variation, and packet disorder.
Innovation Solution
A packet sending method that includes switching the next-hop node to a second route source with a superior path cost or when the first route source is unreachable, and adding explicit path information to packets to avoid microloops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multi-source route switching is performed to improve network reliability and adaptability, then network resilience is improved, but microloops are generated causing packet loss and delay variation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing alternative forwarding paths before route failures occur. When a route source becomes unreachable, the node can immediately switch to a pre-computed alternative path, avoiding the formation of microloops while maintaining network reliability. This is achieved by maintaining multiple next-hop nodes in the routing information and switching to alternative paths when the primary route source fails.
2Manufacturing precision
If explicit path information is added to packets during route switching to prevent microloops, then packet forwarding accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding explicit path information (such as segment routing headers or MPLS labels) only to packets that require alternative forwarding during route switching, rather than all packets. This targeted approach ensures accurate packet forwarding during transitions while avoiding unnecessary processing overhead for normal traffic, thus balancing forwarding accuracy with device complexity.
3Speed
If alternative next-hop nodes are pre-configured in routing information to enable fast failover, then convergence speed is improved, but routing information complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by maintaining alternative next-hop nodes only for critical route sources and only when necessary for network resilience. Rather than configuring exhaustive alternative paths for all possible failures, the system selectively pre-configures alternative next-hops based on network topology and failure probability, achieving fast convergence for critical failures while limiting routing information complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application provide a packet sending method and device. The method is applied to a communication network including a first node, a first route source, and a second route source. The route sources are nodes for advertising an address prefix, and the first node stores routing information whose destination address is the address prefix. Specifically, the first node sets a next-hop of the routing information to a next-hop through which the first node reaches the first route source. The destination address of the routing information is the address prefix. When the second route source is superior to the first route source, the first node switches the next-hop of the routing information to a next-hop through which the first node reaches the second route source. Then, the first node adds, to a target packet, path information of a forwarding path from the first node to the second route source according to the switching operation, where a destination address of the target packet matches the address prefix. Finally, the first node forwards the target packet to the second route source through the forwarding path. According to the embodiments of this application, a microloop in a multi-source route switching scenario can be avoided.