Control and Forwarding Elements for IP Network Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IP network architectures face limitations in extensibility, controllability, security, and Quality of Service due to the integration of control and data planes, which complicates network maintenance and extension, and existing routing schemes are insufficient for meeting diverse user requirements such as differentiated services and security needs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a control element with a strategy enacting module and a forwarding element with deep packet inspection capabilities to identify and report data packet information from layers 2-7, enabling the control element to determine and distribute routing strategies that the forwarding element can use to forward data packets accordingly, allowing for more flexible and user-specific routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the control plane and data plane are integrated at the same network node, then the network architecture is simpler, but the network becomes complicated and difficult to maintain and extend when more services and control signaling are added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the network plane into separate control plane and data plane components. Control elements (CE) handle control plane functions (routing calculation, service processing) while forwarding elements (FE) handle data plane functions (data forwarding). This segmentation allows independent optimization and maintenance of each plane, resolving the contradiction between architectural simplicity and extensibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The control plane functions are extracted from the data plane nodes and concentrated into dedicated control elements. This extraction allows the data plane to remain simple and efficient while the control plane can be enhanced with advanced routing and service capabilities without affecting data forwarding performance.
2Device complexity
If routing is based only on layer 3 network layer information, then the routing scheme is simple, but it cannot satisfy differentiated service requirements and security requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends routing decision-making from traditional layer 3 network layer information to multiple dimensions including layer 4-7 application layer information, user information, and service requirements. This multi-dimensional approach enables differentiated services and security policies while maintaining routing efficiency through structured processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The forwarding elements perform deep packet inspection and report identification results to control elements, which then determine routing strategies based on this feedback. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic routing decisions that adapt to application layer content, user requirements, and service priorities without requiring complex static configuration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control element, a forwarding element and a routing method for Internet protocol network are provided in the present invention. The method includes: a forwarding element performs, according to a packet identification rule distributed by a control element, a deep packet inspection on data packets to obtain an identification result, and reports the identification result to the control element; the control element enacts a routing strategy according to the identification result; the control element distributes the routing strategy to the forwarding element; the forwarding element forwards the data packets according to the routing strategy. A control element and a forwarding element are also provided in the present invention. By applying the technical scheme of the present invention, routing methods can be provided as many as possible to meet different requirements.