IOAM Information Processing at Tunnel Splices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current In-situ Operations Administration and Maintenance (OAM) technologies, specifically In-band OAM, face challenges in transmitting IOAM information across tunnel splicing scenarios, leading to information loss when tunnel termination occurs, which hinders continuous network monitoring and decision-making.
Innovation Solution
A processing method and device that receive data messages, remove original outer layer tunnel headers, determine tunnel types, and add IOAM information accordingly, encapsulating new headers to ensure IOAM information is transmitted across tunnel splices, preventing loss and enabling continuous network monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tunnel termination is performed at the end point of a current tunnel, then the tunnel can be properly closed and new tunnel can be established, but the IOAM information in the data message is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts IOAM information from the original outer layer tunnel header before tunnel termination occurs. By separating and preserving this information, the system prevents data loss while maintaining proper tunnel closure functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary extraction and preservation of IOAM information before the tunnel termination process completes. This advance action ensures that the information is saved before the termination event could cause loss.
2Reliability
If IOAM information is preserved during tunnel splicing, then continuous network monitoring is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal IOAM information preservation mechanism that works across different tunnel types and splicing scenarios. This multi-functional approach consolidates the processing logic, preventing complexity multiplication while ensuring continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step at the egress gateway that mediates between tunnel termination and IOAM information preservation. This intermediary layer handles the complex operations of extracting, preserving, and re-encapsulating information, isolating the complexity from the main tunnel processing flow.
3Adaptability or versatility
If egress gateway performs tunnel splicing with different tunnel types, then network flexibility is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring tunnel type increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by handling different tunnel types with type-specific processing rules at the egress gateway. Each tunnel type receives appropriate treatment based on its characteristics, enabling flexibility while maintaining clear identification through localized processing logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation of tunnel types by extracting and preserving IOAM information that encodes tunnel type characteristics. This transformation makes tunnel type detection and measurement easier by converting structural differences into preservable data parameters.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)
AI summary
Disclosed are a method and apparatus for processing in-band operations administration and maintenance (IOAM) information. The method for processing IOAM information comprises: receiving a data message; when it is determined, according to an original outer-layer tunnel header of the data message, that a present node is an endpoint of the current tunnel, stripping the original outer-layer tunnel header of the data message to determine the tunnel type of an egress; according to whether the present node supports the addition of IOAM information to the tunnel type of the egress, adding IOAM information in the data message and IOAM information of the present node to a data message; and after encapsulating a new outer-layer tunnel header, corresponding to the tunnel type of the egress, of the data message, sending same to the next node.