Floor Reflector TE Link Bandwidth Advertising to Reduce Signaling Failures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bandwidth insufficiency within IS-IS flood reflection (FR) clusters leads to increased signaling failures and crank-bank signaling attempts when traffic engineered (TE) paths are computed using abstract TE visibility, as FR TE Links are advertised with unlimited bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
Advertise a more realistic available bandwidth on FR TE links by receiving max flow bandwidth or information derived from it, instead of assuming unlimited bandwidth, using a computer-implemented method involving an IS-IS protocol process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unlimited bandwidth is advertised on FR TE links, then TE path computation is simplified and scalability is maintained, but signaling failures and crank-bank signaling attempts increase due to bandwidth insufficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bandwidth parameter from unlimited to a calculated finite value based on max-flow algorithms. This parameter change reflects the actual available bandwidth in the FR cluster, preventing TE paths from being computed based on unrealistic bandwidth assumptions, thereby reducing signaling failures while maintaining accurate bandwidth information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (bandwidth calculation process) that computes the actual available bandwidth by analyzing the FR cluster topology and L1 link capacities. This intermediary provides accurate bandwidth information to the TE path computation, resolving the contradiction between simplified computation and accurate information
2Reliability
If accurate max flow bandwidth is advertised on FR TE links, then signaling failures are reduced, but TE path computation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary bandwidth calculation by computing the max-flow capacity of the FR cluster before TE path computation. This preliminary action establishes accurate bandwidth information in advance, allowing TE paths to be computed with reliable bandwidth data without adding significant complexity during the path computation phase
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically calculating its own available bandwidth based on its internal topology and link capacities. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external bandwidth management, reducing overall system complexity while improving reliability
Data Source
AI summary
The problem of bandwidth insufficiency within an Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS) flood reflection (FR) cluster, and its associated problem(s) of increased signaling failures (and increased crank-bank signaling attempts, also referred to as “signaling churn”) when traffic engineered (TE) paths are computed, is avoided by signaling a more realistic “available bandwidth” advertisement on the FR TE links.