Network Inspection Packet Loop Detection and Discarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network inspection methods incur high equipment costs and communication band pressure due to the need for new network devices with inspection functions to detect loop paths, and inspection packets can continue to flow through loop paths, causing communication disruptions.
Innovation Solution
An inspection system comprising a loop inspection device and a packet discarding device that transmits inspection packets with a unique destination address not learned by network devices, allowing the system to detect loop paths and instruct the packet discarding device to remove the inspection packets from the network, thereby relieving communication band pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If new network devices with inspection functions are introduced to detect loop paths, then loop detection capability is improved, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dedicated inspection device as an intermediary component that performs loop detection functions. This separate inspection device transmits inspection packets through the network and analyzes their return paths to detect loops, allowing existing network devices to continue their primary functions without modification while adding inspection capability through an intermediate element.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection device creates copies of network traffic patterns by transmitting inspection packets that mimic normal data packets. These inspection packets traverse the network paths and return to the inspection device, allowing loop detection through analysis of packet return patterns without requiring modification of actual network devices or disruption of normal traffic flow.
2Measurement precision
If inspection packets are transmitted continuously to detect loop paths, then detection accuracy is improved, but communication band pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection device transmits inspection packets at periodic intervals rather than continuously. The device controls the transmission timing to send inspection packets only when needed for loop detection, allowing normal network communication to proceed uninterrupted between inspection cycles. This periodic transmission maintains detection capability while minimizing impact on communication band availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection device uses a limited number of inspection packets with specific characteristics (unique source addresses not learned by network devices) rather than flooding the network with numerous packets. This partial action approach achieves sufficient detection accuracy by using just enough packets to detect loops without creating excessive communication band pressure.
3Ease of operation
If inspection packets use standard addresses that network devices learn, then normal packet routing is maintained, but inspection packets may be discarded by learning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection packets are designed with a special local quality: their source address is set to a specific address that network devices are configured not to learn. This creates a distinction between normal data packets (whose source addresses are learned for routing optimization) and inspection packets (whose source addresses are excluded from learning). This local quality difference ensures inspection packets are never discarded by address learning mechanisms while maintaining compatibility with normal routing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection device includes a memory and a processor. The processor is coupled to the memory and configured to transmit, to a network, an inspection packet that includes a first address for which a plurality of transfer devices in a network does not learn correspondences between the first address and transfer destination devices. The first address is a transmission destination address. The inspection device receives a first packet from the network and determines whether the first packet matches the inspection packet. The inspection devices transmits, to the network, a setting packet of which a transmission source address is set to the first address.