Load Balancing System Using Flow Characteristics for Packet Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing load balancing systems fail to efficiently and accurately specify flow characteristics, leading to suboptimal utilization of transfer capacity in packet transfer apparatuses due to the lack of consideration for flow characteristics such as packet length, resulting in inadequate capacity for certain types of traffic like moving images or VoIP.
Innovation Solution
A load balancing system that includes an application information storage unit to associate flow characteristics with flow identifiers, an acquisition unit to acquire application information from the storage unit, and an output unit to direct packets to packet transfer apparatuses based on flow characteristics, ensuring efficient and accurate load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ECMP routing is used to equally distribute traffic across multiple transfer paths, then load balancing is achieved, but flow characteristics such as packet length are not considered, resulting in suboptimal transfer capacity utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameters used for load balancing from simple equal-cost routing to flow-characteristic-aware routing. It introduces packet length classification (long packet-centered vs. short packet-centered flows) and uses these classified parameters to select appropriate transfer paths, thereby optimizing transfer capacity utilization for different traffic types.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments traffic flows into different categories based on their characteristics, specifically dividing flows into long packet-centered flows and short packet-centered flows. This segmentation allows the system to apply different routing strategies to different flow types, improving overall transfer capacity utilization.
2Reliability
If traffic is concentrated without considering flow characteristics, then simple routing is maintained, but transfer capacity is insufficient for specific traffic types such as moving images or VoIP
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary classification of traffic flows into long packet-centered and short packet-centered categories before routing. By pre-categorizing flows based on packet length characteristics, the system can proactively select appropriate transfer paths, ensuring adequate transfer capacity for specific traffic types like moving images or VoIP before congestion occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different routing qualities to different flow types. Long packet-centered flows are routed through paths optimized for bandwidth, while short packet-centered flows are routed through paths optimized for packet processing capacity. This local quality differentiation ensures reliable transfer capacity for each traffic type without requiring complete system redesign.
Data Source
AI summary
An application information storage unit configured to store information obtained by associating application information including flow characteristics of an application of a flow constituted by a packet with a flow identifier for identifying the flow of the packet, an acquisition unit configured to acquire, in a case where an input port receives a packet, application information of a flow constituted by the packet from the application information storage unit, and an output unit configured to output the packet received by the input port to a packet transfer apparatus in a load state indicating that a load due to the flow of the flow characteristics is light among a plurality of packet transfer apparatuses according to the flow characteristics included in the application information acquired by the acquisition unit are provided.