Intermediary Device Policy-Based WAN Optimization Redirection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network configurations face challenges in efficiently integrating additional services or devices for WAN optimization, particularly in managing network traffic and providing optimized services across enterprise data centers, leading to complexities in traffic processing and topology adjustments.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an intermediary network device that redirects client requests to horizontally deployed WAN optimization devices, utilizing a policy-based integration approach to manage and optimize network traffic, allowing for seamless deployment and management of WAN optimization services across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional services or devices are deployed in the data center to provide WAN optimization, then network performance and service quality are improved, but device complexity and topology management become more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device that acts as a mediator between clients and horizontally deployed WAN optimization appliances. This intermediary receives client requests, determines the appropriate optimization appliance based on policy criteria, and redirects traffic accordingly. By centralizing the decision-making logic in the intermediary, the system avoids the complexity of each appliance needing to understand the entire topology, while still achieving improved network performance through optimized traffic routing.
2Adaptability or versatility
If horizontally deployed WAN optimization devices are used, then service scalability is improved, but traffic processing and integration complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the WAN optimization function into independent, horizontally deployed appliances that can be added or removed without affecting the core system. Each appliance handles a specific portion of traffic based on policy-based routing decisions made by the intermediary. This segmentation enables scalable service deployment while the intermediary manages the complexity of integrating multiple appliances by providing a unified interface for traffic processing.
3Ease of manufacture
If policy based integration is implemented, then ease of deployment is improved, but integration of traffic management policies becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary device serves as a policy management hub that centralizes the integration of traffic management policies. Rather than requiring complex point-to-point policy configurations between multiple appliances, the intermediary maintains the policy database and makes routing decisions based on predefined criteria. This approach simplifies deployment by providing a single point of policy management, while the intermediary handles the complexity of integrating multiple policy requirements into coherent routing decisions.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure presents systems and methods for policy based redirection of network traffic, by an intermediary device, to a horizontally deployed WAN device. An intermediary receives a request from a client to access a server. The request was previously modified by a first WAN device to include information in a first option field of a transport layer. The intermediary may determine, responsive to a redirection policy, to send the request to a second WAN optimization device deployed horizontally from the intermediary, instead of the server. The intermediary transmits the request to the second WAN optimization device, while maintaining the information from the first option field. The intermediary device receives the request including the information in the first option field identifying the first WAN optimization device to the second WAN optimization device. The intermediary receives a modified request from the second WAN device, the modified request determined by the intermediary to be sent to the destination server.