Packet Flow Offload via MPLS Routing Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
In data networks, autonomous routing decisions made by peering routers complicate the efficient offloading of packet flows to intermediary networks, leading to difficulties in managing data transport to intended destinations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a centralized routing policy using Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) to identify the best-suited intermediary network and configure routers to bypass autonomous routing decisions, ensuring packets are routed directly to this network without requiring Open System Interconnection (OSI) Layer 3 routing lookups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If autonomous routing decisions are made by peering routers, then routing flexibility is improved, but packet flow offloading control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The routing control is segmented into two layers: autonomous BGP routing decisions at the router level and centralized policy-based offloading control at the network level. This segmentation allows peering routers to maintain routing flexibility through autonomous BGP decisions while the network controller enforces packet flow offloading policies separately, resolving the contradiction between routing autonomy and offloading control.
Solution Approach 2:
A network controller acts as an intermediary between the autonomous BGP routing system and the packet flow offloading requirements. The controller receives packet flow information, determines optimal offloading destinations, and pushes routing policies to peering routers without interfering with their autonomous routing decisions, thus enabling both routing flexibility and controlled offloading.
2Ease of operation
If centralized routing policy with MPLS is implemented, then packet flow offloading control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller automatically performs packet flow analysis, destination determination, and policy generation without manual intervention. The system self-manages the complexity of centralized routing policy implementation by autonomously collecting routing information, analyzing packet flows, and pushing appropriate policies to peering routers, thereby improving offloading control while minimizing the operational burden.
3Productivity
If per-interface level control is implemented, then data transport efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller serves as an intermediary that manages per-interface routing policies centrally. Instead of requiring each peering router to independently manage complex per-interface controls, the controller consolidates this functionality, pushing specific interface-level policies to routers. This approach enables fine-grained data transport optimization while centralizing the complexity management.
Data Source
AI summary
A network utilizes centralized control for the transport of a packet flow to a destination via an intermediary network. The network identifies the intermediary network best suited for offloading the packet flow and then develops a routing policy based on Multiprotocol Label Switching or other circuit-switching type techniques. This ensures that the packets of the packet flow are automatically forwarded to a peering router connected to the identified intermediary network, and ensures that the peering router automatically outputs the packets of the packet flow to the identified intermediary network in a manner that bypasses autonomous routing decisions by the routers of the network.