FlexE Link Group Protection Switching Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Flexible Ethernet (FlexE) networks lack a protection switching mechanism, resulting in entire link groups becoming unavailable when a single link fails, causing significant service interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A protection switching method is implemented where a network device determines unavailable links in an active FlexE link group and selects standby links as protection links, replacing the unavailable links to maintain network functionality, utilizing a master-slave relationship for notification and configuration to ensure seamless switching.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no protection switching mechanism is implemented in FlexE networks, then the network structure remains simple, but the entire link group becomes unavailable when a single link fails, causing service interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures standby links before any failure occurs. When a link failure is detected, the pre-configured standby links are immediately activated to replace the failed links, enabling rapid service restoration without complex real-time decision-making or manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of standby links from inactive to active when failures are detected. By dynamically adjusting the status and configuration parameters of protection links based on failure conditions, the system achieves adaptive protection without requiring complete architectural redesign
2Reliability
If standby links are preconfigured for protection switching, then service continuity is maintained during link failures, but the network device complexity increases due to link management
Solution Approach 1:
The protection switching system operates autonomously by automatically detecting link failures, selecting appropriate standby links, and executing the switching process without manual intervention. The system monitors its own state and performs self-healing, reducing the need for complex external management mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the link group into active links and standby links, allowing independent management and failure isolation. By dividing the protection mechanism into discrete, manageable components (detection module, selection module, switching module), the overall complexity is reduced while maintaining effectiveness
3Reliability
If multiple standby links are configured to replace multiple unavailable links, then service continuity is maintained, but the configuration and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates standby links that can universally replace any failed active link in the link group. The protection mechanism is designed to be link-agnostic, where the same standby links can serve multiple potential failure scenarios, simplifying configuration by eliminating the need for dedicated backup links for each active link
Data Source
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AI summary
A protection switching method and system, and a device are provided, and relate to the field of communications technologies. The method includes: determining, by a first network device, that there is at least one unavailable link in an active FlexE link group, and selecting m standby links from preconfigured standby links as protection links, where m is a positive integer less than or equal to a quantity of unavailable links in the active FlexE link group; sending, by the first network device, a protection switching notification to a second network device, and replacing m unavailable links in the at least one unavailable link with the m protection links; replacing, by the second network device based on the protection switching notification, the m unavailable links with the m protection links, where the m protection links are in a one-to-one correspondence with the m unavailable links; and sending, by the second network device, a protection switching response to the first network device. In the embodiments of this application, an application requirement of FlexE for protection switching is satisfied.