Inline NAPT on Bundled Links With Anchor-Based Binding Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing NAPT solutions require additional devices and resources for address and port translation, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption and rack space, and face challenges in managing bindings across multiple nodes and link failures, especially in high-scale subscriber services.
Innovation Solution
A method for inline Network Address and Port Translation (NAPT) is implemented in a router, using an anchor and non-anchor approach to manage bindings dynamically, ensuring unique port allocation and handling of inbound and outbound packets without additional devices, and managing binding age-outs and refreshes across an aggregated bundle of links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional NAPT solutions are implemented using additional devices, then address and port translation functionality is achieved, but power consumption and rack space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines NAPT functionality directly into the router's existing forwarding plane, merging address translation operations with packet forwarding operations. This eliminates the need for separate NAPT devices and reduces overall system power consumption while maintaining full NAPT functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The router is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously, including packet forwarding, address translation, and binding management, all within a single device. This multi-functionality approach eliminates dedicated NAPT hardware and reduces rack space and power requirements.
2Reliability
If traditional NAPT solutions use additional devices, then address translation is performed, but rack space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates NAPT functionality into the router's forwarding plane, combining address translation with existing routing operations. This eliminates the need for separate NAPT appliances and reduces rack space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The router performs multiple network functions including forwarding, NAPT, and binding management within a single device, eliminating the need for additional dedicated hardware and optimizing rack space utilization.
3Productivity
If NAPT bindings are managed across multiple nodes, then load distribution is improved, but complexity of managing bindings and handling link failures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the router into anchor and non-anchor forwarding planes, segmenting NAPT binding management responsibilities. Anchor planes maintain binding entries while non-anchor planes forward traffic, simplifying overall binding management while enabling load distribution across multiple nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The anchor forwarding plane acts as an intermediary that centralizes binding management and synchronization across multiple router nodes. This mediator approach simplifies binding management complexity while enabling distributed load handling across the router cluster.
4Use of energy by stationary object
If inline NAPT is implemented without additional devices, then power and rack space are minimized, but challenges in managing bindings across multiple nodes arise
Solution Approach 1:
The router is segmented into anchor and non-anchor forwarding planes, with anchor planes responsible for binding management and non-anchor planes handling traffic forwarding. This segmentation enables inline NAPT without additional devices while distributing binding management responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Anchor forwarding planes serve as intermediaries that coordinate binding management across multiple router nodes. This intermediary mechanism enables simplified binding management in an inline NAPT architecture without requiring additional dedicated devices.
Data Source
AI summary
NAPT services are provided, preferably inline on the “fast path” on bundled links. One of the member links is selected as “anchor.” When uplink traffic arrives on the any of the member links, the link's forwarding path looks to the NAPT binding entry in its forwarding path. If a binding entry is found, NAPT is performed in an inline manner (without requiring any other device), and the traffic is forwarded. If a binding entry is not found, the received traffic is forwarded to the anchor. The anchor allocates the port and creates a NAPT binding on all the member links. Downlink traffic performs lookup for reverse NAPT binding entry in the link's forwarding path. If a matching entry is found, the forwarding path of the link performs NAPT. If there is no matching binding entry, the downlink traffic is dropped. Stale binding entries are “aged out”, enabling dynamic NAPT.