Intermediary Device Path Selection for Hybrid Network Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network systems fail to efficiently route traffic across hybrid networks, leading to backhauling of low-priority branch Internet traffic alongside mission-critical traffic, underutilization of backup links, and inability to selectively route web and cloud services directly from branch locations, limiting resource allocation and network performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing path selection techniques that allow specific applications to be mapped to desired WAN paths, enabling traffic to be broken out at branch locations, utilizing intermediary devices to intercept and reroute packets based on path selection policies, and switching to backup channels in case of faults, ensuring high-priority traffic uses high-bandwidth connections while low-priority traffic uses lower-cost links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all traffic is routed through the data center via expensive MPLS connections, then mission-critical applications receive high network performance, but low-priority branch Internet traffic incurs high costs and backup links remain underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into different priority categories (mission-critical vs. low-priority branch Internet traffic) and routes them through different paths. High-priority traffic uses the reliable MPLS connection through the data center, while low-priority traffic is directly routed to the Internet from branch locations, eliminating unnecessary backhauling and reducing costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary device at branch locations that acts as a local gateway for Internet traffic. This intermediary can directly route low-priority traffic to the Internet without backhauling through the data center, while still allowing high-priority traffic to use the MPLS connection, thus optimizing both cost and performance.
2Reliability
If backup links are reserved for failover purposes, then network reliability is improved, but these links remain underutilized during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path selection that can adapt to changing network conditions. The system monitors the state of primary and backup links and dynamically routes traffic accordingly. During normal operation, backup links can be utilized for low-priority traffic, and when primary links fail, traffic is automatically redirected to backup paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of backup links by allowing them to carry low-priority traffic during normal conditions. This transforms backup links from idle resources to actively utilized pathways, improving overall network resource utilization while maintaining the ability to provide failover when needed.
3Productivity
If path selection policies are implemented to route specific applications over different paths, then resource allocation is optimized, but device complexity increases due to interception and packet modification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the path selection logic from complex intermediary devices and implements it through simpler mechanisms such as local routing tables, policy-based routing configurations, or even host-based routing decisions. This reduces the complexity burden on intermediary devices while maintaining the ability to implement sophisticated path selection policies.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques are described for configuring path selection in a network. The network can comprise a first router, a second router, a third router, a fourth router, and an intermediary device. The second router can be configured to use Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) while routing packets so that packets with a first DSCP value are routed through the third router, and packets with a second DSCP value are routed through the fourth router. The intermediary device can be configured to: (1) transparently intercept a packet forwarded by the first router to the second router, (2) determine whether the packet is to be routed through the third router or the fourth router, (3) modify a DSCP field in the packet based on said determining, and (4) forward the packet to the second router.