Hybrid Data Packet Switching for Bandwidth and Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Datacenters face challenges in meeting bandwidth and latency requirements due to limitations in electrical switching technologies, particularly in handling varying data stream lengths and types, such as video streaming and social network traffic, where existing solutions like C-through architectures with optical circuit switching are inefficient for short data streams.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for data packet switching that includes receiving MAC frame control information, determining the appropriate interface for forwarding using a MAC address forwarding table, and transmitting control signals to electrical or optical packet switching units, allowing MAC frames to be forwarded through downlink, uplink electrical, or uplink optical packet switching network interfaces, optimizing bandwidth utilization across different interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If optical circuit switching is used in C-through architecture, then bandwidth is improved for long data streams, but switching efficiency deteriorates for short data streams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between electrical packet switching and optical circuit switching based on data stream characteristics. The system determines whether to use electrical or optical switching by analyzing factors such as data stream length, protocol type, and network load, allowing the switching mechanism to adapt dynamically rather than being fixed, thereby optimizing performance for both long and short data streams
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data center network into multiple switching domains: electrical packet switching domain for short data streams and optical circuit switching domain for long data streams. This segmentation allows each domain to be optimized for its specific workload, with the electrical domain handling latency-sensitive short packets and the optical domain providing high bandwidth for long streams, thus resolving the contradiction between bandwidth and switching efficiency
2Productivity
If electrical packet switching is used, then switching efficiency is maintained, but bandwidth requirement cannot be met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges electrical packet switching and optical circuit switching into a unified hybrid network architecture. The electrical packet switching infrastructure provides standard switching efficiency and connectivity, while the optical circuit switching layer is integrated to provide enhanced bandwidth capacity. This merging allows the system to leverage the advantages of both technologies simultaneously, meeting both switching efficiency and bandwidth requirements
3Productivity
If hybrid network structure is implemented, then bandwidth and switching efficiency are both improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control plane as an intermediary between the electrical packet switching layer and optical circuit switching layer. This control plane manages the complexity by making intelligent decisions about which switching mechanism to use based on data stream characteristics, while keeping the data planes relatively simple. The control plane handles the complex coordination between the two switching domains, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the hybrid architecture
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for data packet switching, and an access switch and a switching system, so as to satisfy requirements of a datacenter for a switching bandwidth and a switching granularity. The method includes: receiving MAC frame control information; determining an interface used for forwarding an MAC frame according to the MAC frame control information and through performing a query on a MAC address forwarding table, where the interface used for forwarding the MAC frame includes a downlink interface, an uplink electrical packet switching network interface and/or an uplink optical packet switching network interface; transmitting a control signal to an electrical packet switching unit, so that the MAC frame is forwarded to the determined interface. According to the method provided in the present invention, the utilization rate of each interface can be improved.