Management Plane Dynamic Path Restoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Carrier Ethernet networks rely heavily on static protection schemes, which are time-consuming and inefficient, leading to high operational expenditures and network downtime due to the lack of automated dynamic protection mechanisms in the absence of a control plane.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing a management plane to detect faults, compute new paths, and allocate bandwidth for restoring communications traffic, enabling dynamic protection and optimizing resource usage by automating the restoration process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If static protection schemes are used in the absence of a control plane, then network protection is provided, but manual restoration procedures are time-consuming and incur high operational expenditure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic protection by enabling the management plane to automatically detect faults, compute new paths, and restore traffic without manual intervention. This transforms the static, manual restoration process into a dynamic, automated system that adapts to failures in real-time, resolving the contradiction between providing reliable protection and minimizing restoration time.
Solution Approach 2:
The management plane is enhanced with self-service capabilities to autonomously detect faults, determine affected traffic, compute alternative paths, and execute restoration procedures. This self-service automation eliminates the need for time-consuming manual restoration procedures while maintaining network protection, directly addressing the contradiction between reliability and restoration time.
2Reliability
If static protection schemes are used, then network protection is provided, but network resources are pre-allocated representing sub-optimal use of bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic resource allocation by allowing the management plane to compute new paths and allocate bandwidth only when failures occur. This dynamic approach replaces the static pre-allocation model, maintaining network protection while optimizing bandwidth utilization by allocating resources based on actual needs rather than predetermined reservations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the bandwidth allocation parameter from a static pre-allocated state to a dynamic on-demand state. The management plane monitors network conditions and adjusts bandwidth allocation in response to actual failures, transforming the resource allocation model to achieve both reliable protection and optimal bandwidth utilization.
3Reliability
If manual restoration procedures are followed for multiple failures, then traffic can be restored, but operational expenditure increases and network downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management plane is empowered with self-service capabilities to automatically detect multiple faults, determine affected traffic, compute new paths, and execute restoration procedures without human intervention. This automation eliminates the complexity of manual restoration procedures while ensuring reliable traffic restoration, directly resolving the contradiction between restoration reliability and operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the management plane continuously monitors network status, detects failures, and automatically triggers restoration procedures. This closed-loop feedback system enables automated response to multiple failures, reducing operational complexity and expenditure while maintaining reliable traffic restoration.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (60, 130) and an apparatus (40) for proving protection in a connection oriented packet switched communications network (10). Embodiments of the invention disclose detecting (62, 132) a fault (32) in a path (28) of the network, the path comprising at least one network resource, determining (88, 110, 134) a new path (30) for the traffic, restoring (80, 136) the traffic to the new path (30), and determining (66, 138) where the fault (32) has occurred in the path (28) using the management plane (40) to correlate the fault with the at least one network resource using a configuration map (25) of the network (10). The embodiments of the invention provide for dynamic protection using a management plane in the event of a failure in the network (10).