Multicast Traceroute Inline Failure Replies for Faster Node Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multicast traceroute methods in wide area networks are time-intensive and inefficient due to the inability to quickly identify failing nodes, leading to network congestion and delayed or failed replies to multicast trace queries.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an inline failure reply mechanism where each router in the network edits the multicast trace query, starts a timer, and sends an acknowledgment message to the previous router, allowing for immediate detection of non-operational nodes and facilitating a retransmission of the query along a different path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional multicast traceroute methods are used, then the traceroute can be performed, but the process is time-intensive and inefficient due to inability to quickly identify failing nodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having routers proactively send acknowledgment messages along the multicast trace query path before the complete traceroute process finishes. Each router sends an acknowledgment to its predecessor as it processes the query, enabling early detection of failing nodes without waiting for the entire traceroute to complete, thus reducing the time to identify failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by introducing acknowledgment messages that flow back upstream along the multicast trace query path. Each router provides feedback to its predecessor about whether it successfully received and processed the query, creating a feedback loop that enables rapid identification of where failures occur in the multicast distribution tree.
2Reliability
If traditional multicast traceroute methods are used, then the network can operate, but network congestion occurs and replies are delayed or failed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by extracting the acknowledgment functionality from the traditional wait-for-end response model. Instead of waiting for the complete traceroute to finish before sending any responses, the system extracts intermediate acknowledgment messages that are sent at each hop along the path, removing the bottleneck of centralized response collection and reducing network congestion.
3Loss of time
If inline failure reply mechanism is implemented, then failing nodes are quickly identified, but the router complexity increases due to timer management and acknowledgment processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses preliminary action by having routers pre-configure timers and acknowledgment mechanisms before processing multicast trace queries. Each router is pre-programmed with the logic to start timers, send acknowledgments, and handle failure detection, distributing the complexity across all routers rather than requiring complex centralized control, thus reducing individual router processing burden.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method by a router in a multicast network includes receiving a multicast trace query comprising a data packet, editing the multicast trace query to include data corresponding to the data packet, transmitting the edited multicast trace query to a subsequent router, transmitting a first message indicating the edited multicast trace query was transmitted to the subsequent router, and starting a timer for a determined period of time.