Fog Node Traffic Management via Encapsulated Control Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fog networks, which reside between the edge and the cloud, are heterogeneous and dynamic, making it difficult to implement and enforce security, quality of service (QoS), and other performance-related compliance requirements due to their mixed infrastructure and unpredictable routing paths.
Innovation Solution
Fog nodes are configured to construct fog frames that encapsulate data and provide network control instructions, allowing dynamic control of data in transit and evaluation of routing paths to ensure compliance with security and QoS requirements, regardless of underlying protocols and infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If fog networks use heterogeneous mixed infrastructure with dynamic routing paths, then network flexibility and route options are improved, but security and QoS compliance become difficult to enforce
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces fog nodes as intermediary devices between edge devices and cloud infrastructure. These fog nodes act as mediators that enforce security policies and QoS requirements on network traffic passing through heterogeneous fog network segments, thereby maintaining reliability despite the flexible dynamic routing paths enabled by the heterogeneous infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the fog network into multiple fog network segments with defined ingress and egress points. By segmenting the network and establishing controlled boundaries at ingress/egress points, the system can enforce security and QoS policies at segment boundaries while allowing internal flexibility within each segment, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Reliability
If fog networks implement strict security and QoS enforcement, then compliance reliability is improved, but network dynamics and routing flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the network. Strict security and QoS enforcement is applied locally at fog nodes and segment boundaries where needed, while the overall network maintains dynamic routing flexibility. This local quality approach allows compliance requirements to be enforced without constraining the global network dynamics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic security and QoS enforcement that adapts to network conditions. Rather than static rigid controls, the system dynamically adjusts security policies and routing decisions based on real-time network state, maintaining both compliance reliability and routing flexibility through adaptive behavior.
3Reliability
If fog nodes encapsulate and control network traffic, then security and QoS compliance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs fog nodes with multi-functional capabilities that handle encapsulation, decryption, routing, security policy enforcement, and QoS management in unified hardware and software platforms. By making fog nodes universal devices that perform multiple functions, the system improves compliance enforcement without proportionally increasing complexity, as a single device handles diverse tasks.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies for managing network traffic through heterogeneous fog network segments of a fog network include a fog node deployed in a fog network segment. The fog node is configured to receive a fog frame that includes control instructions. The fog node is further configured to perform a route selection action to identify a preferred target fog node based on the control instructions, perform action(s) based on the control instructions and network characteristic(s) of the fog network segment relative to corresponding network characteristic(s) of the different fog network segment, and generate updated control instructions based on at least one network characteristic of the different fog network segment. Additionally, the fog node is configured to replace the original control instructions of the received fog frame with the updated control instructions and transmit the received fog frame with the updated control instructions to the preferred target fog node. Other embodiments are described and claimed.