FCIP Tunnel TCP Session Priority Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In Fibre Channel over IP (FCIP) implementations, all Fibre Channel data streams are treated with the same level of priority during IP network congestion, leading to loss of distinct priorities for different quality of service (QoS) levels.

Innovation Solution

Establishing distinct TCP sessions within a single FCIP tunnel, each designated for a different priority of service (e.g., high, medium, low) with its own TCP stack and settings for VLAN Tagging, quality of service, and Differentiated Services Code Point, allowing IP gateway devices to preserve priority distinctions during IP network communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If all Fibre Channel data streams are passed through a single TCP session in FCIP tunnel, then network simplicity is maintained, but distinct priorities of different quality of service levels are lost during IP network congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork configuration simplicityVSAvoidpriority distinction information

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the single TCP session into multiple separate TCP sessions, each dedicated to a specific quality of service level (e.g., high, medium, low priority). This segmentation allows each TCP session to independently manage its own priority settings and congestion control, thereby preserving priority distinctions while maintaining the FCIP tunnel structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by assigning different quality of service characteristics to different TCP sessions within the same FCIP tunnel. Each TCP session can have its own priority settings, window sizes, and congestion control parameters tailored to its specific service level requirements, enabling differentiated service quality without affecting other streams.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If multiple TCP sessions are established for different priorities within FCIP tunnel, then quality of service distinctions are preserved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepriority distinction informationVSAvoidTCP session management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements universality by creating a multi-functional TCP session management system where a single FCIP tunnel can accommodate multiple TCP sessions serving different quality of service levels. The system uses universal priority marking mechanisms (such as DSCP or 802.1p tags) that work across all sessions, allowing differentiated service without requiring separate tunnel configurations for each priority level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8412831B2Per priority TCP quality of service

Publication Date: 2013.04.02 AVAGO TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL SALES PTE LTD

AI summary

An IP gateway device establishes distinct TCP sessions within a single FCIP tunnel, each TCP session being designated for a different priority of service (e.g., high, medium, low), plus a control stream. Each TCP session has its own TCP stack and its own settings for VLAN Tagging (IEEE 802.1Q), quality of service (IEEE 802.1P) and Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP). By distributing data streams assigned to different priorities of service into different TCP sessions within the FCIP tunnel, an IP gateway device can preserve the distinctions between the data stream priorities while the data traffic is within the IP network.