IPv6 Transition Strategy via Service Function Chaining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current IPv6 transition technologies face challenges in unified deployment and management, leading to performance pressure on SDN controllers and network congestion due to the need for maintaining large numbers of sessions and high traffic between forwarding equipment and SDN controllers.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method and device that utilize a Service Function Chaining (SFC) controller to process data messages based on an IPv6 transition strategy, which includes identifying the transition technology type and public network address pool information, and using SF nodes to perform address translation and forwarding, thereby reducing the load on SDN controllers and alleviating congestion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If SDN controller manages all session information for IPv6 transition, then unified deployment is achieved, but controller performance pressure increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunified deployment capabilityVSAvoidcontroller processing power
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments session management functions by introducing Service Function Chaining (SFC) nodes that distribute session information storage and management across multiple network elements rather than centralizing it in the SDN controller. This segmentation reduces the controller's burden while maintaining unified deployment through coordinated management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces SFC nodes as intermediary elements between the SDN controller and forwarding equipment. These intermediaries handle session information storage and management, acting as a buffer that reduces direct traffic and control signaling between the controller and network edges, thereby reducing controller performance pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If all session information is centralized in SDN controller, then unified management is achieved, but storage requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunified management capabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments session information storage across multiple SFC nodes distributed throughout the network rather than consolidating all session data in the SDN controller. This distributed storage approach maintains unified management through coordinated access while significantly reducing the storage burden on any single device including the controller.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If SDN controller processes all first packets for session creation, then session management is unified, but network congestion occurs between forwarding equipment and controller

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunified session creationVSAvoidnetwork throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces SFC nodes as intermediaries that handle session creation for first packets. Instead of all first packets traveling directly to the SDN controller, they are routed to appropriate SFC nodes that can create sessions locally. This intermediary approach maintains unified session management while dramatically reducing control plane traffic and preventing network congestion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables SFC nodes to perform preliminary session creation actions before packets reach the SDN controller. By pre-establishing sessions at distributed SFC nodes, the system reduces the number of packets that need to traverse to the controller, thereby maintaining unified management while improving network throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3113426B1Data packet processing method and device
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 ZTE CORP
  • EP3113426B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3113426B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3113426B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

Provided are a method and device for processing a data message. The method may include that: an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) transition strategy used for executing an IPv6 transition technology is received from a Service function chain (SFC) controller; and a received data message is processed according to the received IPv6 transition strategy. By the technical solution, the problems of incapability of a network system in effective running during fusion with an IPv6 transition technology and incapability in effective implementation of unified deployment of the IPv6 transition technology in the related technology are solved, and the effects of effectively reducing performance pressure on an existing network and greatly alleviating channel congestion between equipment and equipment are further achieved.