Mesh Restoration Bandwidth Allocation for Shared Risk Connection Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Source-based routing control planes in optical networks face issues with network fragmentation, crank-backs, and inability to prioritize higher bandwidth connections, as they lack control over the sequence of restoring connections and do not consider shared risk connection groups for path computation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing mesh restoration and bandwidth allocation systems that utilize signaling from a node closest to the failure to advise source nodes on protect paths, correlating connection information as Shared Risk Connection Groups (SRCG) to optimize network bandwidth utilization, and performing protect path computations in the background to avoid crank-backs and bandwidth fragmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If source-based routing control planes are used for connection restoration, then routing flexibility is provided, but control over the sequence of restoring connections is lost leading to network fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing protect paths for connections before failures occur. The system computes alternative paths in advance and stores them in a database, so that when a failure happens, the restoration process follows pre-planned paths rather than reacting dynamically. This ensures controlled restoration sequence and prevents network fragmentation while maintaining routing flexibility.
2Productivity
If smaller connections restore first in source-based routing, then faster restoration is achieved, but larger connections may fail to restore due to bandwidth fragmentation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional restoration approach by implementing a reverse restoration mechanism. Instead of smaller connections restoring first as in conventional source-based routing, the system is configured to restore larger bandwidth connections first, followed by smaller connections. This inversion ensures that larger connections establish their paths before smaller ones, preventing bandwidth fragmentation issues and ensuring larger connections are not blocked by smaller connection restorations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-computes protect paths for all connections and stores them in a database before failures occur. When a failure happens, the system retrieves pre-computed paths and executes restoration in a controlled sequence (larger connections first, then smaller connections), avoiding the need for dynamic decision-making during restoration and ensuring reliable restoration success.
3Device complexity
If conventional control planes are used, then simplicity is maintained, but ability to prioritize higher bandwidth connections over lower bandwidth connections is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains relative simplicity by using pre-computed protect paths stored in a database. The system doesn't require complex real-time calculations during failure restoration, as all path computations are performed in advance and stored for quick retrieval. This preliminary action approach provides bandwidth priority control without introducing significant complexity to the control plane architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system inverts the conventional restoration priority by restoring higher bandwidth connections before lower bandwidth connections. This inversion is achieved through the pre-computed protect paths and controlled restoration sequence, allowing the system to prioritize higher bandwidth connections automatically without complex control logic, thus maintaining simplicity while achieving reliable bandwidth priority.
4Speed
If routing updates are made faster to match signaling speed, then restoration responsiveness is improved, but network stability is reduced due to overbooking and crank-backs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing protect paths in a database before failures occur. When a failure happens, the system retrieves pre-computed paths instantly, achieving fast restoration responsiveness without needing rapid routing updates. This approach decouples restoration speed from routing update speed, maintaining network stability while improving responsiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a protected path database that stores pre-computed alternative paths. This database acts as a mediator between the failure detection and the actual restoration process, allowing the system to respond quickly by retrieving pre-prepared paths without causing network instability through rapid or conflicting routing updates.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a node, and a network include mesh restoration and bandwidth allocation systems and methods for shared risk connection groups for source-based routing control planes. The mesh restoration and bandwidth allocation systems and methods utilize signaling from a node closest to a point of failure to “advise” source nodes about protect paths to be taken for a particular unidirectional or bidirectional connection in the event of mesh restoration. Specifically, the systems and methods include an ability to correlate connection information as Shared Risk Connection Groups (SRCG) to optimally utilize network bandwidth in the event of failure. The systems and methods could also be used to optimally distribute connections in a mesh network as well, trying to utilize maximum bandwidth, in distributed or centralized environments. Effectively, the systems and method distributed path computation in the network away from solely being the responsibility of source nodes.