LLDP-Based Management VID Consistency Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern communication and data networks that support both connectionless and connection-oriented traffic face challenges in ensuring consistent management traffic provisioning, leading to potential failures in connectivity fault management and management services due to inconsistencies in Management Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Identifiers (VIDs).
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a communications network that propagates management traffic as connectionless traffic using a unique Management VLAN Identifier (VID) and employs Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) exchanges to detect and correct inconsistencies in Management VID provisioning between nodes, ensuring consistent management VID provisioning across the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If management traffic is propagated as connectionless traffic using Management VID in hybrid networks, then network flexibility and traffic engineering capability are improved, but provisioning consistency and reliability deteriorate due to VID mismatches between nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where nodes exchange LLDP messages containing their Management VID configuration. Each node compares the received VID from neighbors with its own configured VID and reports any mismatches to the network management system. This continuous feedback loop enables automatic detection and correction of provisioning inconsistencies, resolving the reliability issue while maintaining the flexibility of connectionless management traffic propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary consistency verification by exchanging LLDP messages during network initialization and before management traffic routing is established. Nodes proactively share their Management VID configurations and identify potential mismatches before they cause connectivity failures. This preliminary action prevents provisioning errors from affecting network operations, thereby maintaining both flexibility and reliability.
2Reliability
If LLDP exchange operations are implemented to detect VID inconsistencies, then provisioning consistency is improved, but network complexity and detection difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent leverages the existing LLDP protocol framework, which is already widely deployed in Ethernet networks for device discovery and information exchange. By extending LLDP to carry Management VID configuration data, the patent achieves VID consistency verification without introducing a completely new protocol or message format. This multi-functional use of LLDP reduces implementation complexity while improving provisioning consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary network management system that collects LLDP messages from multiple nodes, processes the VID consistency information, and coordinates corrections across the network. This intermediary layer simplifies the complexity by centralizing the analysis and decision-making logic, allowing individual nodes to maintain simpler configurations while still achieving overall network-wide consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A communications network, comprising a plurality of nodes supporting connection-oriented traffic and connectionless traffic, wherein management traffic between the nodes is propagated as connectionless traffic having a unique management traffic Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) identifier (VID), and wherein at least one node is configured to perform a Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) exchange operation to enable detection of inconsistent provisioning of the Management VID in at least one node. Also disclosed is a communications network component, comprising logic that enables connection-oriented traffic and VLAN-based connectionless traffic, wherein the logic propagates management messages as VLAN-based connectionless traffic having a management VID, and wherein the logic enables detection of inconsistent management VIDs in a network.