Forwarding Plane Flow Matching for Service Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network elements face challenges in integrating stateful services with stateless forwarding devices without redundant calculations, and in separating forwarding and services planes effectively.

Innovation Solution

Conducting flow table matching, predicted flow matching, and ACL lookups in the forwarding plane, while restricting stateful services to the services plane, allowing packets to traverse both planes for necessary processing and routing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If stateful services are integrated with stateless forwarding devices, then service processing capability is improved, but device complexity increases and redundant calculations occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice processing capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network device into two distinct planes: a forwarding plane for stateless packet forwarding and a services plane for stateful service processing. This segmentation allows each plane to be optimized independently, avoiding the complexity of integrating stateful services into stateless forwarding devices while eliminating redundant calculations through dedicated functional modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts stateful service processing functions from the forwarding plane and places them in a separate services plane. This extraction eliminates the complexity and redundancy associated with integrating stateful services in stateless forwarding devices, while still enabling service processing capability through the dedicated services plane.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Speed

If flow table matching, predicted flow matching, and ACL lookups are conducted in the forwarding plane, then packet forwarding speed is improved, but calculation redundancy occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket forwarding speedVSAvoidcalculation redundancy

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the services plane provides flow matching results and ACL lookup outcomes back to the forwarding plane. This feedback allows the forwarding plane to cache and reuse matching results, improving packet forwarding speed while eliminating calculation redundancy by avoiding repeated lookups for the same packets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs flow table matching, predicted flow matching, and ACL lookups in advance in the forwarding plane before packets are forwarded to the services plane. This preliminary action prepares matching results that can be reused, improving forwarding speed while reducing redundant calculations through result caching and coordination between planes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If services plane traffic is processed differently than forwarding plane traffic, then service processing accuracy is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice processing accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments traffic processing into two distinct paths: one for forwarding plane traffic that requires high-speed stateless forwarding, and another for services plane traffic that requires accurate stateful service processing. This segmentation allows each plane to be optimized for its specific processing requirements, improving service processing accuracy while managing complexity through dedicated functional modules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different processing qualities to different traffic types: high-speed, simplified processing in the forwarding plane for routine packet forwarding, and high-accuracy, complex processing in the services plane for stateful service requirements. This local quality approach improves service processing accuracy for appropriate traffic while maintaining overall system efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8300532B1Forwarding plane configuration for separation of services and forwarding in an integrated services router

Publication Date: 2012.10.30 JUNIPER NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A method may include receiving a packet at an ingress line interface in a forwarding plane of a network element, the packet including header information. The method may also include conducting a flow table lookup in the forwarding plane to identify an existing flow for the packet and determining, in the forwarding plane and based on the header information, whether a predicted flow can be identified for the packet if an existing flow can not be identified. The method may further include performing a service access control list (ACL) lookup in the forwarding plane if a predicted flow can not be identified; and forwarding the packet to one of a services plane or an egress line interface in the forwarding plane based on one of the existing flow, the predicted flow, or the service ACL lookup.