Inband SLA Verification via Packet Header Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current SLA verification methods using out-of-band mechanisms fail to accurately determine the service level achieved by specific users due to differences in traffic paths and lack of per-flow visibility, making it difficult to ensure real-time and predictive service assurance in network analytics.
Innovation Solution
Inband SLA verification techniques where an ingress node inserts service level agreement information into packet headers, allowing an egress node to verify conformance based on parameters like latency, jitter, and packet loss, providing granular and accurate service level assurance through in-packet carried sequence numbers and timestamps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If out-of-band probe packets are used for SLA verification, then the verification mechanism is independent of production data flows, but the accuracy of service level measurement deteriorates due to path differences between probe and actual traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the verification mechanism with production data flows by using in-band SLA verification. Probe packets are combined with actual traffic flows, allowing both verification and data transmission to share the same path and resources, thereby ensuring measurement accuracy reflects actual user experience while maintaining verification independence through dedicated verification fields in packet headers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism through dedicated SLA verification fields (such as timestamp, sequence number, and verification tokens) embedded in packet headers. These intermediary elements enable the verification system to extract measurement data without interfering with production traffic, resolving the contradiction between verification independence and measurement accuracy
2Measurement precision
If per-flow SLA verification is implemented, then granular service level assurance is achieved, but system complexity increases due to distributed data collection and real-time analytics requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts SLA verification data from the complex distributed system by embedding all necessary verification information (timestamps, sequence numbers, path identifiers) directly in packet headers. This extraction approach allows verification data to be collected at network edges without requiring complex centralized processing, reducing system complexity while maintaining per-flow visibility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-populating packet headers with verification data (timestamps, sequence numbers, SLA parameters) at the ingress point before traffic enters the network. This preliminary tagging eliminates the need for complex real-time data collection and processing throughout the network, simplifying the system architecture while enabling granular per-flow SLA verification
3Measurement precision
If inband SLA verification is used, then accurate per-flow service level measurement is achieved, but packet header overhead increases due to additional verification fields
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing multi-functional packet header fields that serve both production traffic routing and SLA verification purposes. Existing header fields are utilized for dual functions, and new fields are designed to carry multiple verification parameters, reducing overall header overhead while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by encoding verification data in compressed formats and using efficient data representations in header fields. Sequence numbers, timestamps, and verification tokens are encoded to minimize space requirements, allowing accurate per-flow measurement with reduced header overhead through optimized parameter encoding
Data Source
AI summary
An ingress node inserts into a header of a packet service level agreement information and forwards the packet. At an egress node of the network, the packet is received and the service level agreement information is obtained from the header of the packet. The egress node verifies whether there is conformance to a service level agreement based on at least one parameter associated with reception of one or more packets at the egress node and the service level agreement information.