L2 Switch Flow Shaping via Abnormal Rate Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Layer 2 (L2) networks, when a specific flow exceeds the expected data rate, conventional switches struggle to identify and isolate the abnormal flow, leading to unfair shaping of all flows, which impairs network fairness due to insufficient queues and shapers.
Innovation Solution
A communication control apparatus that acquires observed data rates, determines shaping rates based on threshold values, and reallocates flows to identify and isolate abnormal flows, ensuring fair shaping across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If multiple flows are aggregated into a single queue or shaper due to limited resources, then the device complexity is reduced, but the measurement precision of abnormal flow detection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the aggregate flow into individual flows by monitoring data rates at the flow level within the aggregated queue. When an abnormal flow is detected (data rate exceeds threshold), the system isolates and shapes only that specific flow rather than the entire aggregate, achieving precise control without requiring separate queues for each flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement mechanism that monitors data rates of individual flows within the aggregated queue without requiring separate physical queues. This intermediary detection layer enables identification of abnormal flows while maintaining the aggregated structure, resolving the contradiction between resource efficiency and detection accuracy.
2Device complexity
If a shaper shapes the entire aggregate flow when one flow exceeds expected data rate, then the device complexity remains low, but the fairness of the network deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing flow-specific shaping only where needed. When an abnormal flow is detected in an aggregate queue, the shaping rate is applied locally to that specific flow rather than globally to the entire aggregate. This ensures that normal flows are not unnecessarily constrained while abnormal flows receive appropriate rate limiting, thereby maintaining network fairness with minimal device complexity.
3Reliability
If individual queues and shapers are allocated to multiple flows, then the fairness of the network is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple flows into aggregate queues while maintaining the capability to identify and shape individual abnormal flows within those aggregates. This combining approach reduces the total number of queues and shapers needed while preserving network fairness through selective shaping based on flow-level monitoring and abnormal flow detection.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication control apparatus includes an observed data rate acquiring unit configured to acquire observed data rates indicating input data rates of queues, the observed data rates being observed in a layer 2 switch, a threshold value storage unit configured to store predetermined threshold values of the queues, a shaping rate determination unit configured to determine a shaping rate of each queue based on both observed data based on an observed data rate of the observed data rates acquired by the observed data rate acquiring unit and a threshold value of the predetermined threshold values stored in the threshold value storage unit, and a shaping rate setting unit configured to set, in the layer 2 switch, the shaping rate of each queue determined by the shaping rate determination unit.