Modular Building Block Controllers for Dynamic Network Service Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Internet's rigidity prevents evolution, as intermediate network nodes like routers cannot be easily modified, leading to functionality limitations and performance issues with overlay networking solutions, which lack a clear architectural vision for integrating individual features effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize reusable, modular building blocks with network-level support, where building block codes are distributed to controllers associated with network nodes to dynamically compose end-to-end services, allowing for flexible routing and function implementation across network hops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If overlay networking is used to circumvent functionality limitations of current Internet, then new functionality can be implemented, but performance issues arise due to in-scalability, cross-layer interaction, and function duplication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network functionality into discrete, reusable building blocks that can be independently deployed and managed. Each building block represents a specific network function (e.g., routing, filtering, transformation) that can be composed to create complex services without requiring full overlay networking, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic service composition where building blocks can be selectively activated, deactivated, or reconfigured based on service requirements. This dynamic approach allows the network to adapt functionality without permanent overlay structures, reducing cross-layer interaction overhead and improving scalability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If intermediate network nodes like routers are modified to implement new functionality, then adaptability improves, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates universal building blocks that can be deployed on standard network nodes without modification. These modular components provide multiple functions through software-based implementation, allowing existing hardware to support new functionalities without physical changes, thereby maintaining ease of implementation while improving adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces building block controllers as intermediary components that manage functionality on network nodes. These controllers act as mediators between the core network infrastructure and service requirements, enabling new functionality without modifying the underlying router hardware, thus preserving implementation ease while achieving adaptability.
3Productivity
If services are broken down into modular building blocks, then scalability and innovation improve, but service composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary organization of building blocks into standardized categories and interfaces before service composition is needed. Building blocks are pre-configured with defined input/output interfaces and functional characteristics, allowing service composers to assemble services through simple interface matching rather than complex customization, thereby enabling scalability without proportionally increasing composition complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for communicating over a network is provided. The method includes obtaining building block codes, where the building blocks codes are capable of being used together to provide an end-to-end service. The building block codes are sent to each appropriate building block controller, where each building block controller is associated with a corresponding network node. Upon receiving a first packet of a connection for the first end-to-end service, a determination as to which network nodes of the plurality of network nodes should be used as network hops for the connection, and as to, for each network node that should be used as a network hop for the connection, which building block codes should be used by the building block controller corresponding to the network node. These determinations are communicated to each of the appropriate building block controllers.