GRE Tunneling for Offloading Network Protocol Logic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional forwarding devices in communication networks are complex and require additional memory and processing power to implement networking protocols, making them costly and prone to interruptions during updates or failures, which can lead to network latency and downtime.
Innovation Solution
Implementing networking protocol logic in remote controllers rather than forwarding devices, allowing the forwarding devices to be simplified and enabling updates and redundancy without disrupting network operations, using tunnels like GRE to manage protocol messages and errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If networking protocol logic is implemented at forwarding devices, then networking protocol functions can be executed directly at the network edge, but device complexity increases due to additional memory and processing power requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the networking protocol logic from the forwarding device and relocates it to a remote controller. The forwarding device retains only the essential forwarding function, while the remote controller handles the complex networking protocol processing, thereby reducing forwarding device complexity while maintaining automation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a remote controller as an intermediary between the forwarding device and the networking protocol. This intermediary handles the complex protocol logic, allowing the forwarding device to remain simple while still achieving full networking protocol functionality through the mediator's processing capabilities.
2Productivity
If networking protocol logic is implemented at forwarding devices, then protocol processing can be performed locally, but updates require taking the device offline causing network latency or downtime
Solution Approach 1:
By extracting the networking protocol logic to a remote controller, the patent enables independent updates of the controller without affecting the forwarding device's operational status. The forwarding device continues to forward traffic while the remote controller is updated, eliminating the need to take the device offline.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the system into a forwarding device and a remote controller, allowing independent maintenance and updates of each component. This segmentation enables the remote controller to be updated without disrupting the forwarding device's traffic handling capabilities, thus avoiding network downtime.
3Extent of automation
If networking protocol logic is implemented at forwarding devices, then forwarding decisions can be made autonomously, but a failure in protocol logic causes complete forwarding device failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the networking protocol logic from the forwarding device and places it in a separate remote controller. This separation ensures that a failure in the protocol logic does not cause complete forwarding device failure, as the forwarding functions remain intact and can continue to operate independently.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the system into forwarding and protocol processing components, the patent improves reliability. The forwarding device can continue to perform basic forwarding operations even if the remote controller's protocol logic fails, preventing complete system failure and maintaining partial network functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A forwarding device, such as a router, in a network may communicate with a service device according to a networking protocol. According to exemplary embodiments, logic for communicating according to the networking protocol may be relocated from the forwarding device to one or more remote controllers. The remote controllers may encapsulate networking messages and forward the networking messages to the forwarding device using a tunnel, thereby allowing the messages to follow the same path through the network as the messages would have followed if the messages had originated at the forwarding device. Accordingly, the forwarding device can be made simpler, updates to the networking protocol or remote controllers may be made without ceasing operations at the forwarding device, errors in the network may be quickly diagnosed, and a backup remote controller may take responsibility for communications in the network if a primary controller is rendered inoperable.