Multicast Telemetry Notifier Consolidation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow provisioning in Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) networks does not provide immediate notification to controller hosts about successful or failed path provisioning, leading to increased computational workload, network traffic, and latency in telemetry data, which can result in confounded analysis and undesired outcomes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where multilayer switches in a PIM domain collectively certify end-to-end flow provisioning and publish telemetry data from a single notifier to an external controller host, using downstream certifying messages with flow-certifying flags and last hop router flags to notify the controller host of provisioning success or failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If decentralized flow provisioning notification is implemented in multi-path routing, then routing flexibility and path selection capability are improved, but computational workload and network traffic increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple notifier routers that successfully provision flows are merged into a single designated notifier router. The patent designates one router as the sole notifier responsible for sending telemetry data to the controller host, consolidating what would otherwise be multiple notification sources into one, thereby reducing computational workload and network traffic while preserving the benefits of multi-path routing exploration
2Loss of information
If multiple notifiers send telemetry data to controller host, then notification completeness is improved, but network traffic and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
A designated notifier router acts as an intermediary between the multi-path routing system and the controller host. This single notifier receives flow provisioning information from the routing system and consolidates telemetry data before forwarding it to the controller, eliminating the need for multiple separate notification streams while maintaining complete information delivery
3Stability of the object's composition
If periodic telemetry publishing is implemented, then system stability is improved, but latency in telemetry data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements event-driven feedback where the designated notifier router immediately publishes telemetry data to the controller host upon detecting a flow provisioning success or failure. This feedback mechanism replaces periodic publishing by triggering notifications only when relevant events occur, maintaining system stability while eliminating unnecessary latency
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques for improved multicast network telemetry implemented over multilayer switches in a PIM domain. The multilayer switches may be configured to collectively certify end-to-end flow provisioning, and to publish telemetry data certifying flow provisioning from a single notifier to an external controller host. Computational workload and network traffic for streaming data related to certifying path provisioning is kept to a minimum for each flow that needs to be certified, which also keeps compounding of network traffic for many different flows to a minimum. Moreover, since controller hosts are notified upon successful provisioning but not at other times, controller hosts can trust that the telemetric data is minimally latent, and may be relied upon to enact timely actions which produce desired outcomes.