Hash-Based Load Balancing Bonded Network Interfaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing link aggregation methods fail to effectively balance load across multiple network connections, particularly in virtualized environments, leading to inefficient utilization of network resources and potential bottlenecks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing hash-based load balancing in bonded network interfaces, where the selection of an egress NIC is determined by a hash function that considers the virtual machine identifier and destination addresses, allowing for efficient distribution of traffic across multiple NICs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional link aggregation methods are used, then multiple NICs are combined to increase throughput, but load balancing across NICs is ineffective leading to resource underutilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for NIC selection from simple round-robin or source MAC address to a hash function that incorporates destination MAC address, destination IP address, and protocol type. This parameter change enables fine-grained load balancing while maintaining effective distribution across multiple NICs, resolving the contradiction between throughput and load balancing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the traffic distribution decision into multiple independent hash components (destination MAC address, destination IP address, protocol type) rather than relying on a single parameter. This segmentation allows each component to contribute to the overall hash value, creating a more distributed and efficient load balancing mechanism that improves both throughput and resource utilization.
2Ease of manufacture
If simple NIC selection methods are used, then implementation is straightforward, but traffic distribution is uneven causing bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from simple selection parameters (like source MAC only) to a multi-parameter hash function that includes destination MAC address, destination IP address, and protocol type. This parameter enrichment maintains implementation feasibility while dramatically improving traffic distribution efficiency and eliminating bottlenecks.
3Productivity
If hash-based load balancing with multiple parameters is implemented, then traffic distribution is optimized, but computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential hash components needed for effective load balancing (destination MAC address, destination IP address, protocol type) rather than using all available packet fields. This selective extraction maintains traffic distribution efficiency while minimizing computational overhead and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for hash-based load balancing implemented by bonded network interfaces. An example method may comprise: receiving, by a bonded interface of a computer system, a data link layer frame originated by a virtual machine; identifying a network interface controller (NIC) of the bonded interface by calculating a value of a hash function of an identifier of the virtual machine and at least one of: a destination Media Access Control (MAC) address of the data link layer frame or a destination network layer address of a network layer packet comprised by the data link layer frame; and transmitting the data link layer frame via the identified NIC.