IP Datagram Routing with Dynamic Bandwidth Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP network routing algorithms primarily focus on the shortest path, neglecting the financial cost of bandwidth usage, which is a critical factor in internet service pricing, leading to inefficient bandwidth utilization and increased connection costs for server hosting centers.
Innovation Solution
The system and method for routing IP datagrams in an IP network dynamically adjust routing decisions based on current bandwidth usage, incorporating bandwidth thresholds and pricing models to optimize connection costs by selecting next hop routers that avoid exceeding bandwidth thresholds, thereby minimizing billing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If routing algorithms focus on shortest path, then routing efficiency is improved, but bandwidth utilization and connection costs deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic routing by continuously monitoring bandwidth usage statistics and adjusting routing decisions in real-time. The system collects bandwidth data from multiple links, compares it against thresholds, and dynamically selects the optimal path based on current network conditions rather than static shortest path algorithms. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize both routing efficiency and bandwidth utilization simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the routing decision parameters from purely topological metrics (shortest path) to include bandwidth usage statistics and cost parameters. By incorporating bandwidth thresholds, usage statistics, and associated costs into the routing decision-making process, the system achieves a balance between routing efficiency and bandwidth utilization, directly addressing the technical contradiction.
2Ease of operation
If traditional routing metrics are used, then routing simplicity is maintained, but connection costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where bandwidth usage statistics are collected, monitored, and used to adjust routing decisions. The system continuously gathers feedback from network links about actual bandwidth consumption and uses this information to make more cost-effective routing choices, thereby reducing connection costs while maintaining operational simplicity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing system performs self-optimization by automatically monitoring its own performance metrics (bandwidth usage) and adjusting its behavior without external intervention. The system self-evaluates the cost-effectiveness of different paths and autonomously selects optimal routes, eliminating the need for manual routing configuration and reducing operational complexity while lowering connection costs.
Data Source
AI summary
A datagram with a destination network address is received at a router. The router identifies a next hop router en route to or associated with the destination network address. The router determines whether or not transmission of the datagram on a link to the next hop router would result in a bandwidth usage exceeding a bandwidth threshold associated with the next hop router. If not, the router updates the bandwidth usage associated with the next hop router to account for the datagram, and transmits the datagram to the next hop router. If so, the router selects among other possible next hop routers en route to or associated with the destination address, another next hop router for which transmission of the datagram on a link to the other next hop router would not result in a bandwidth usage exceeding a bandwidth threshold associated with the other next hop router. Then, the router updates the bandwidth usage associated with the other next hop router to account for the datagram, and transmits the datagram to the other next hop router. If, among the other possible next hop routers, there is no other next hop router for which the transmission of the datagram on the respective link would result in the bandwidth usage being less than the respective bandwidth threshold, then the router chooses among the other possible next hop routers, another next hop router. Then, the router updates the bandwidth threshold associated with the other, chosen next hop router with a larger, predefined bandwidth threshold.