Multicast Packet Forwarding Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packet communication networks face challenges in reducing latency for multicast packet forwarding, particularly in identifying and managing high-latency paths within complex network topologies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of forwarding circuitry in network elements that identifies the highest-latency path among multiple paths and employs an accelerated scheduling process for forwarding multicast packets over this path, while using a normal scheduling process for other paths, thereby reducing overall latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If normal scheduling process is used for all paths, then forwarding is simple to implement, but latency increases for packets on high-latency paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different scheduling processes to different paths based on their latency characteristics. Specifically, paths are classified into normal-latency paths and high-latency paths, and the accelerated scheduling process is selectively applied only to high-latency paths while normal scheduling is used for other paths. This localized differentiation reduces overall latency without requiring complex scheduling across all paths uniformly.
Solution Approach 2:
The forwarding system is segmented into multiple scheduling processes: normal scheduling process and accelerated scheduling process. Each path is assigned to an appropriate scheduling process based on its latency characteristics. This segmentation allows the system to handle different traffic paths with different scheduling strategies, optimizing latency for critical paths while maintaining simplicity for others.
2Loss of time
If accelerated scheduling process is used for all paths, then forwarding latency is reduced, but processing complexity increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The accelerated scheduling process is applied selectively only to high-latency paths rather than all paths. The system identifies which paths have high latency characteristics and applies the accelerated process only to those specific paths, while using normal scheduling for paths that don't require optimization. This targeted approach reduces latency where needed without the overhead of applying accelerated scheduling universally.
3Loss of time
If path latency is not differentiated, then scheduling is simpler, but worst-case latency cannot be optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary classification of paths into normal-latency and high-latency categories based on pre-collected latency information or path characteristics. This preliminary action allows the accelerated scheduling process to be triggered only for paths that require it, enabling worst-case latency optimization without requiring complex real-time analysis of each path's latency during packet forwarding.
Data Source
AI summary
A network element includes multiple ports and forwarding circuitry. The ports are configured to serve as network interfaces for exchanging packets with a communication network. The forwarding circuitry is configured to receive a multicast packet that is to be forwarded via a plurality of the ports over a plurality of paths through the communication network to a plurality of destinations, to identify a path having a highest latency among the multiple paths over which the multicast packet is to be forwarded, to forward the multicast packet to one or more of the paths other than the identified path, using a normal scheduling process having a first forwarding latency, and to forward the multicast packet to at least the identified path, using an accelerated scheduling process having a second forwarding latency, smaller than the first forwarding latency.