Intra-flow Splitting for Multi-path Network Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-path routing techniques face challenges in efficiently managing variable bit-rate data traffic, leading to difficulties in accurately computing bandwidth needs and resulting in increased packet dropping and jitter due to out-of-order arrivals, which are costly to mitigate with current resequencing methods.
Innovation Solution
Intra-flow splitting techniques split traffic flows into sub-flows and route them on multiple paths based on a split ratio vector, reducing variance and bandwidth requirements by distributing traffic fractions across links based on capacity and load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If packets of the same flow are routed over multiple paths using round-robin mechanism, then load sharing is improved, but packet delivery order deteriorates causing out-of-order arrivals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a traffic flow into multiple sub-flows, where each sub-flow is routed along a different path. This segmentation allows load sharing across multiple paths while maintaining packet order within each sub-flow, resolving the contradiction between improved load sharing and packet delivery order.
2Reliability
If resequencing is implemented to correct out-of-order packet arrivals, then packet delivery order is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by ensuring packets are routed in-order along each sub-flow path before transmission, preventing out-of-order arrivals from occurring in the first place. This eliminates the need for complex resequencing operations at the destination, reducing device complexity and cost.
3Ease of operation
If effective bandwidth estimation is used for variable bit-rate traffic, then bandwidth planning is simplified, but measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic flows into sub-flows and routes them along different paths, which reduces the variance in traffic load on each individual path. This segmentation provides more accurate information about actual bandwidth requirements on each path, improving measurement precision while maintaining ease of operation through systematic bandwidth planning.
Data Source
AI summary
Multi-path routing techniques using intra-flow splitting are disclosed. For example, a technique for processing traffic flows at a node in a network comprises the following steps/operations. At least one traffic flow is obtained. The at least one traffic flow comprises multiple packets or bytes. The at least one flow is split into at least two sub-flows, wherein each of the at least two sub-flows comprises a portion of the multiple packets or bytes. The packets or bytes of the at least two sub-flows are respectively routed on at least two paths in the network.