Integrated Routing Bridging Interface Bypasses Engine

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-speed networks face performance issues due to increased packet latency caused by the inability of conventional network devices to simultaneously process both routing and bridging on the same packet, which requires packets to travel through both routing and bridging engines, leading to increased processing delays.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of integrated routing and bridging (IRB) functions, where a bridge interface is IRB enabled, and an unnumbered IP interface is added between the host and the routing engine, allowing packets to be forwarded directly from the routing engine to the host in the local bridge network, thereby bypassing the bridging engine.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If packets are forwarded through both routing engine and bridging engine in conventional network devices, then routing and bridging functions are both achieved, but packet latency increases due to sequential processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting and bridging functionalityVSAvoidpacket latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the packet processing path by creating a direct routing-to-bridging interface that bypasses the traditional sequential routing engine then bridging engine path. Packets are segmented into those requiring full routing-bridging processing and those that can use the optimized direct path, reducing overall latency while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary integrated routing and bridging (IRB) interface that mediates between the routing engine and bridging engine. This IRB interface allows packets to be forwarded directly from the routing engine to the bridging network without requiring sequential processing through both engines, thus reducing packet latency while maintaining both routing and bridging functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional network devices process routing and bridging separately, then each function can be optimized independently, but overall network performance decreases due to increased packet processing delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent function optimizationVSAvoidnetwork performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the routing and bridging functions at the interface level by implementing an integrated routing and bridging (IRB) interface. This allows packets to be processed through a combined path that leverages both routing and bridging capabilities simultaneously, improving overall network performance while maintaining the independence of each function's internal optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The IRB interface provides multi-functionality by handling both routing and bridging operations through a unified mechanism. This universal interface can process different packet types and routing scenarios while maintaining optimized performance, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing the ease of independent function optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If packets travel through both routing engine and bridging engine, then complete packet processing is achieved, but packet processing delay increases negatively affecting network performance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplete packet processingVSAvoidpacket processing delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the integrated routing and bridging interface with the necessary routing and bridging information before packets arrive. This allows packets to be forwarded directly through the optimized path without requiring sequential processing, thus maintaining complete packet processing while reducing processing delay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The IRB interface acts as an intermediary that receives packets from the routing engine and directly forwards them to the bridging network. This intermediary mechanism ensures complete packet processing by maintaining both routing and bridging functions while eliminating the sequential processing delay, thereby reducing packet processing delay without compromising reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS7856024B1Method and apparatus for integrating routing and bridging functions

Publication Date: 2010.12.21 TELLABS OPERATIONS

AI summary

An apparatus and method for routing data packets between a routed network and a local bridged network using integrated routing and bridging (“IRB”) functions are disclosed. In one embodiment a bridge interface between a host in the local bridge network and a bridging engine is IRB enabled. An unnumbered Internet Protocol (“IP”) interface is then added between the host and a routing engine in accordance with the IRB enabled bridge interface. Subsequently packets received from the routed network are forwarded directly by the routing engine to the host in the local bridge network via the unnumbered IP interface, thereby bypassing the bridging engine. Through use of an embodiment of the present invention, packet processing delay in each network device is reduced (because of bypassing the bridging engine), thereby decreasing packet latency in an ever growing network.