Multicast Adapter Reliable Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current InfiniBand network systems face inefficiencies in transmitting multicast messages larger than the maximum transmission unit (MTU) size across network subnets, as they require multiple dedicated individual connections for reliable multicast, which burdens the source system and is commercially undesirable.
Innovation Solution
An adapter system with an entry port for receiving multicast messages, egress ports for transmitting packets to multiple destinations, and a message manager that monitors delivery status without using dedicated individual connections between each destination and the source, enabling reliable multicast transmission through a single acknowledgement mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple dedicated individual connections are used for reliable multicast transmission, then delivery reliability is improved, but device complexity and source system burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual connection management functions into a single multicast group management mechanism. Instead of establishing separate dedicated connections from source to each destination, the system uses a single multicast group identifier to manage delivery to multiple destinations simultaneously, reducing connection complexity while maintaining reliability through group-level acknowledgment tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate network devices (switches or routers) that act as mediators to manage multicast delivery. These intermediaries handle packet replication, forwarding, and acknowledgment collection, freeing the source system from direct management of individual connections to each destination while ensuring reliable delivery through coordinated acknowledgment mechanisms
2Reliability
If multiple dedicated individual connections are used for multicast transmission, then delivery status monitoring is improved, but loss of time and efficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual acknowledgment streams into a single consolidated acknowledgment mechanism. Instead of the source system waiting for and processing separate acknowledgments from each destination through dedicated connections, the system uses a unified acknowledgment protocol that aggregates delivery status information, reducing processing time and improving time efficiency while maintaining comprehensive delivery monitoring
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary setup of multicast group membership and routing information before actual data transmission begins. Network intermediaries pre-establish multicast distribution trees and member lists, so that when data packets are sent, they can be efficiently replicated and delivered without real-time connection setup delays, improving time efficiency while maintaining reliable delivery status tracking
3Productivity
If multicast messages larger than MTU size are transmitted, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to packet segmentation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing large multicast messages into multiple packets that fit within MTU size limits. Network intermediaries automatically handle the segmentation, sequencing, and reassembly of these packets, allowing efficient transmission of large messages while managing complexity at the network layer rather than requiring complex application-layer protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses network intermediaries (switches or routers) as mediators to handle packet segmentation, buffering, and reassembly for large multicast messages. These intermediaries transparently manage the complexity of breaking down and reconstructing messages larger than MTU size, allowing the source and destinations to communicate efficiently without directly managing the segmentation complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system for transmitting a multicast message with one or more packets to a plurality of destinations is provided. The system includes an adapter including an entry port to receive the multicast message from a source for transmission to the plurality of destinations; one or more egress ports of the adapter that transmit one or more packets of the multicast message to the plurality of destinations and receives acknowledgement for the one or more packets from the one or more destinations; and a message manager that monitors the delivery status for one or more packets to the plurality of destinations without using a plurality of dedicated individual connections between each of the plurality of destinations and the source.