M-LAG Peer-Link Port State Detection for Bandwidth Pressure Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-chassis link aggregation group (M-LAG) scenarios, the heavy traffic on peer-links in private line services restricts the deployment of these services due to excessive bandwidth pressure, especially when user side or network side ports are faulty, leading to inefficient traffic duplication and increased load on peer-links.

Innovation Solution

A method where a first device detects the state of user side ports and removes or re-adds a peer-link port from a broadcast domain based on their usability, optimizing traffic flow and reducing bandwidth pressure by avoiding unnecessary traffic duplication through peer-links.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traffic is duplicated to peer-link ports for fault protection in M-LAG private line service, then service reliability is improved, but bandwidth pressure on peer-links increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice reliabilityVSAvoidbandwidth pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by dynamically adjusting the broadcast domain configuration based on port states. When user side ports are in usable state, peer-link ports are removed from broadcast domain; when ports fail, peer-link ports are re-added. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by activating peer-link traffic duplication only when necessary for fault protection, rather than continuously, thus maintaining reliability while reducing bandwidth pressure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of broadcast domain membership for peer-link ports based on port state detection. By changing the configuration parameter (inclusion or exclusion from broadcast domain) according to actual port conditions, the system achieves reliable fault protection only when needed, avoiding unnecessary bandwidth consumption during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If peer-link ports are always included in broadcast domain for fault protection, then backup capability is maintained, but traffic load on peer-links becomes excessively heavy

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackup capabilityVSAvoidtraffic load efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts peer-link participation in broadcast domain based on real-time port state detection. Peer-link ports are removed from broadcast domain when user side ports are functional, and re-added when failures occur. This dynamic behavior maintains backup capability while optimizing traffic load efficiency by eliminating unnecessary duplication during normal operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts peer-link ports from the broadcast domain when they are not needed for fault protection (i.e., when user side ports are in usable state). This extraction eliminates unnecessary traffic duplication and reduces load on peer-links, while the capability to re-include them when needed maintains the backup function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If traffic duplication to peer-link is implemented for all failure scenarios, then fault tolerance is improved, but bandwidth pressure restricts service deployment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefault toleranceVSAvoidservice deployment flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic configuration where peer-link ports are selectively included or excluded from broadcast domain based on detected port states. This adaptive approach provides fault tolerance only when actually needed, rather than forcing traffic through peer-links in all scenarios, thereby improving service deployment flexibility while maintaining necessary fault tolerance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameter of peer-link port inclusion in broadcast domain based on port state detection. This parameter adjustment enables the system to adapt to different failure scenarios appropriately, improving deployment flexibility by avoiding unnecessary peer-link usage while maintaining fault tolerance when required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3720058B1Method for configuring private line service, device, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3720058B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3720058B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3720058B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application discloses a method for configuring a private line service, including: a first device detect a state of a user side port of the first device, where the first device is an access network device directly connected to a first host, the first host accesses the user side port of the first device and a user side port of a second device by using a multi-chassis link bundling technology, the second device is an access network device directly connected to the first host, the first device is different from the second device. When each user side port of the first device is in a usable state , the first device removes a port of a peer-link of the first device to from a broadcast domain, where the peer-link connects the first device and the second device.