Hardware Accelerated OpenFlow Metering for QoS

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implementing Quality of Service (QoS) metering in software under the OpenFlow protocol puts a heavy burden on system resources such as CPU and memory, making it complex and error-prone, especially when handling hundreds of thousands or millions of flow entries, which can impact network serviceability.

Innovation Solution

A hardware-based approach that offloads metering functionalities to a programmable hardware unit, utilizing descriptor queues and condition/schedule modules to configure and maintain packet flow rate-limits, eliminating the need for complex software algorithms and reducing the load on CPU/memory resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If software-based metering is implemented under OpenFlow protocol, then QoS metering functionality is achieved, but system resources (CPU, memory) are heavily burdened and the system becomes complex and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveQoS metering accuracyVSAvoidsoftware implementation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the software-based metering system with a hardware-based metering system. The hardware metering engine directly processes packets and enforces QoS policies without requiring complex software algorithms, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining or improving metering accuracy and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the metering functionality from the general-purpose CPU-based software system and implements it as a dedicated hardware unit. This separation removes the metering burden from system resources, allowing the software system to remain simpler while the hardware unit handles the complex metering tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If software-based metering handles hundreds of thousands or millions of flow entries, then comprehensive QoS control is achieved, but CPU and memory resources are heavily consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveQoS control capabilityVSAvoidCPU and memory resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes the CPU-based software processing with a dedicated hardware metering engine that is specifically designed to handle large-scale flow entries efficiently. The hardware unit processes packets and manages flow entries without consuming significant CPU or memory resources, enabling comprehensive QoS control for hundreds of thousands or millions of flows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The hardware metering unit is self-contained and autonomously performs metering operations, packet classification, and rate-limiting functions. It does not require continuous CPU intervention or memory resources, allowing the system to maintain high adaptability for QoS control while minimizing resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Adaptability or versatility

If software algorithms are used for metering, then flexibility in QoS policies is achieved, but the system becomes error-prone and resource-intensive

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveQoS policy flexibilityVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces software algorithms with hardware-based metering logic that is implemented through dedicated circuitry and state machines. This hardware implementation eliminates the errors associated with software algorithms while maintaining the flexibility to enforce various QoS policies through configurable hardware parameters and rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10084719B2Systems and methods for hardware accelerated metering for openflow protocol

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

A new approach is proposed that contemplates systems and methods to support hardware-based Quality of Service (QoS) operations, which offloads metering functionalities under OpenFlow protocol to a programmable hardware unit/block/component. The hardware unit supports several hardware implemented ports and each port supports multiple configurable queues for the packet flows through a network switch/chip/system. Specifically, the hardware unit includes a plurality of descriptor queues (DQs) configured to accept requests to send a plurality of packets from one or more CPU cores, and a plurality of condition and schedule modules configured to meter, schedule, and condition the packets through a hierarchy of scheduling queues under one or more metering constraints. The hardware unit is programmable to configure the byte-based and/or packet-based rate-limit for each of the packet flows with a calculated adjustment on allowed variations without requiring complex QoS algorithms to maintain the rate-limits of the flows.