MPLS-TE Path Emulation for IGP Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Network operators face difficulties in migrating between different routing protocols, such as from IGP to MPLS-TE, due to the lack of accurate end-to-end traffic matrix information, which can lead to unpredictable congestion and operational issues, especially when trying to emulate routing behavior or deploy protocols for superior data collection or failure recovery without disrupting normal network operations.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine traffic paths between source-destination node pairs by starting from a first set of paths, considering constraints to emulate or mimic the first set of paths, while accounting for hardware and software limitations of the target routing protocol, such as MPLS-TE, to ensure similar traffic load and load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If network operators migrate from IGP to MPLS-TE routing protocol, then data collection capability and failure recovery improve, but network stability and predictability worsen due to lack of accurate traffic matrix information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating traffic paths before migration occurs. The system determines MPLS-TE paths that emulate IGP routing behavior in advance, using traffic matrix information collected during the IGP phase. This allows operators to prepare accurate path configurations before switching protocols, ensuring network stability is maintained during migration while gaining the data collection capabilities of MPLS-TE.
2Adaptability or versatility
If explicit MPLS-TE paths are established without accurate traffic matrix information, then routing flexibility improves, but congestion control worsens due to inability to predict traffic loads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by using traffic matrix information collected during IGP operation to inform MPLS-TE path calculations. The system continuously monitors actual traffic flows and uses this feedback to adjust and optimize the emulated paths, ensuring that routing flexibility is maintained while congestion control remains effective through data-driven decision making.
3Reliability
If incremental migration from IGP to MPLS-TE is performed, then network stability is maintained, but migration complexity increases due to need to emulate routing behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by creating emulated MPLS-TE paths that replicate IGP routing behavior. Instead of designing entirely new routing paths, the system copies the successful IGP path patterns and reproduces them in the MPLS-TE domain using explicit paths. This reduces migration complexity by leveraging existing proven routing patterns while maintaining network stability through familiar traffic flows.
4Reliability
If IGP routing is used for current operations, then network stability is maintained, but data collection capability worsens compared to MPLS-TE
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the MPLS-TE path calculation system capable of serving multiple functions: it emulates IGP routing behavior for stability while simultaneously collecting detailed traffic matrix information. The same MPLS-TE infrastructure that provides routing flexibility also serves as a comprehensive data collection mechanism, eliminating the need to choose between stability and data collection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of determining traffic paths between one or more source-destination node pairs in a communications network, comprising starting from a first set of paths between said source-destination node pairs, determining a second set of paths between said source-destination node pairs while taking into account a set of constraints, such that said second set of paths emulates said first set of paths.