Mirrored Packet Path Determination for Network Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies face reliability issues in determining accurate packet transmission paths, often resulting in incorrect paths being identified due to the complexity and scale of modern networks.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of mirrored packets by multiple network devices that transmit a target packet, which are then used by a management device to determine the actual transmission path of the target packet, thereby enhancing path determination reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traceroute technology is used to determine packet transmission path by transmitting probe packets, then the transmission path can be determined, but the reliability of the determined path is low due to multiple possible paths in large-scale networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates mirrored packets that are exact copies of the target packet, including all its characteristics and headers. These mirrored packets are sent through the network along the same path as the target packet, allowing the management device to trace the actual path without interfering with the original packet's routing. This copying approach ensures that the determined path reflects the true transmission route.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a management device as an intermediary that collects and analyzes mirrored packets from multiple network devices. This intermediary coordinates the path determination process by receiving mirrored packets, correlating them with target packet information, and determining the actual transmission path, thereby improving reliability without affecting the original network traffic.
2Reliability
If multiple mirrored packets are generated by different network devices to improve path determination reliability, then the accuracy of path identification increases, but the network device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary information from the target packet to create simplified mirrored packets. Instead of duplicating the entire packet processing logic, the network devices extract key characteristics and send these simplified mirrored packets to the management device, reducing processing complexity while maintaining path determination reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device performs the complex analysis and path determination tasks itself by collecting mirrored packets from multiple network devices. The network devices that generate mirrored packets have simplified functions, as the heavy processing is offloaded to the management device, thereby reducing the complexity burden on individual network devices.
3Loss of time
If real-time path restoration is implemented using mirrored packets, then timeliness of fault isolation is improved, but the processing time and system resources required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by continuously generating and transmitting mirrored packets before actual faults occur. The management device maintains an up-to-date record of transmission paths through these preliminary mirrored packet exchanges, so when a fault occurs, the current path information is already available, enabling immediate fault isolation without requiring additional real-time analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet transmission path determining method includes a management device that obtains N mirrored packets of a target packet, where each mirrored packet is generated by one of N network devices that transmit the target packet, and each mirrored packet comprises an identifier of the network device that generates the mirrored packet. The management device determines a transmission path of the target packet based on the N mirrored packets.