Disjoint Path Computation for Mesh Network Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for protection and restoration in mesh networks do not account for the need for protection paths with disjoint communication links and/or nodes from the original working path, leading to inadequate network capacity and reliability, and lack prioritization of multiple working paths.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining diversity weights for communication links in the mesh network to identify and configure disjoint protection paths, using algorithms like Shortest Path First to calculate disjoint protection paths that are mutually exclusive from the working paths, and prioritizing protection for multiple working paths based on their importance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current protection and restoration systems are used without considering disjoint paths, then the system complexity is low and implementation is simple, but the network reliability and capacity are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and establishes disjoint protection paths before failures occur. By using algorithms like Shortest Path First to determine diverse paths in advance and configuring them with diversity weights, the system ensures that when a working path fails, a pre-established disjoint protection path is immediately available, improving reliability without adding complex real-time decision-making mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
Diversity weights are introduced as an intermediary mechanism to guide path selection. These weights are assigned to communication links based on their participation in working paths, and algorithms use these weights to automatically select disjoint protection paths. This intermediary simplifies the complexity of finding truly disjoint paths by transforming it into a weighted shortest path problem
2Reliability
If protection paths share communication links and nodes with working paths, then the configuration and management are simpler, but the network capacity and protection effectiveness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality characteristics to different parts of the network path. Diversity weights are locally assigned to individual communication links based on their specific role (whether they are part of working paths or not). This local differentiation allows the algorithm to globally optimize for disjoint paths by making local decisions at each link, ensuring protection effectiveness without requiring manual configuration of entire paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of communication links by assigning diversity weights that dynamically reflect their suitability for protection paths. Links that are part of working paths receive higher diversity weights, making them less likely to be selected for protection paths. This parameter transformation automatically enforces path disjointness through the algorithm's optimization process
3Productivity
If multiple working paths are protected without prioritization, then all paths receive equal protection attention, but the network capacity is wasted and resource utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces priority as a parameter that modifies the diversity weight calculation. Higher priority working paths receive adjusted diversity weights on their associated links, which influences the protection path selection algorithm to preferentially protect these paths first. This parameter-based prioritization achieves efficient resource allocation without requiring complex scheduling mechanisms, as the priority information is directly integrated into the path computation algorithm
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for accessing network configuration data identifying one or more working path(s) configured to transport data between source and destination nodes, wherein multiple working paths are prioritized, and including at least one first diversity weight of a first value indicative of at least one communication link in the working path(s), and at least one second diversity weight of a second value indicative of at least one communication link outside of the working path(s); calculating a disjoint protection path with the network configuration data, the first diversity weight, and the second diversity weight; the disjoint protection path including at least the source node and the destination node and at least one communication link that is mutually exclusive from the at least one communication link of the first set; and outputting at least one setup signal to configure the disjoint protection path within the mesh network.