Flexible Ethernet Frame Forwarding via Logical Subchannels
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing FlexE frame forwarding method is inflexible, allowing only one-to-one forwarding between FlexE clients with matching rates, unable to switch data streams between clients with different rates, and wastes resources due to fixed transmission rate granularity.
Innovation Solution
The method divides FlexE client channels into logical subchannels, allowing frames to be forwarded based on subchannel identifiers, enabling flexible forwarding between clients with different rates and reducing resource waste by decomposing transmission rates into multiple logical subchannels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If FlexE client channels are used with fixed transmission rates for frame forwarding, then the forwarding process is simple and reliable, but the system lacks flexibility and cannot support forwarding between clients with different rates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides each FlexE client channel into multiple logical subchannels, each with its own subchannel identifier. This segmentation allows the system to forward frames between subchannels with different transmission rates independently, enabling flexible rate adaptation while maintaining manageable channel structure through hierarchical identification (channel identifier + subchannel identifier).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of identification by adding subchannel identifiers to the existing channel identifiers. This dimensional expansion from single-level channel ID to two-level (channel ID + subchannel ID) structure enables the system to distinguish between different rate categories within channels, facilitating forwarding between clients with different rates without overwhelming complexity.
2Loss of energy
If FlexE client channels with fixed transmission rates are used, then resource allocation is straightforward, but resource waste occurs when clients have different rates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting channels into logical subchannels with different transmission rates, the system can allocate resources more efficiently. Frames can be forwarded through subchannels matched to their actual rate requirements, allowing high-rate channels to serve multiple lower-rate clients without wasting bandwidth, thus reducing resource waste while managing complexity through structured segmentation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If only one-to-one forwarding between clients with matching rates is implemented, then the forwarding process is simple, but the system cannot support one-to-many or many-to-one forwarding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables one-to-many and many-to-one forwarding by segmenting channels into subchannels. Multiple subchannels can be aggregated or distributed through the forwarding process, allowing a single input subchannel to forward to multiple output subchannels (one-to-many) or multiple input subchannels to forward to a single output subchannel (many-to-one), while maintaining simple per-subchannel forwarding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The subchannel identification and forwarding mechanism provides universal functionality, allowing the same forwarding infrastructure to handle various forwarding topologies (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one) and rate combinations through a unified process, eliminating the need for separate handling mechanisms for different forwarding scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application disclose a flexible Ethernet frame forwarding method and apparatus, to provide a more flexible FlexE frame forwarding solution. The method includes: receiving a first frame through a FlexE client input channel; obtaining a first channel identifier used to indicate the FlexE client input channel and a first subchannel identifier carried in the first frame, where the first subchannel identifier is used to indicate a logical subchannel of the FlexE client input channel; searching a preset forwarding table based on the first channel identifier and the first subchannel identifier to obtain a second channel identifier and a second subchannel identifier, where the second channel identifier is used to indicate a FlexE client output channel, and the second subchannel identifier is used to indicate a logical subchannel of the FlexE client output channel; and forwarding the first frame based on the second channel identifier and the second subchannel identifier.