Multihomed Network Device Detection and Egress Identifier Allocation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current techniques for providing egress node and/or egress link protection in virtualized service deployments are inefficient, consuming computing and networking resources, delaying traffic transmission, and causing loss due to egress failures, especially in environments where services dynamically move around.
Innovation Solution
A network device dynamically detects multihomed network devices and allocates protection group identifiers, automating the process of identifying multihomed services and using protection group identifiers and network destination identifiers to direct traffic efficiently through a group of multihomed devices, leveraging BGP and IGP for conflict avoidance and segment routing over IP version 6 (SRv6) without requiring protection group tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration techniques are used for egress protection in virtualized service deployments, then configuration control is maintained, but computing and networking resources are consumed, traffic transmission is delayed, and service loss occurs due to egress failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables network devices to automatically detect multihoming relationships and allocate protection group identifiers without manual configuration. The automated detection mechanism allows devices to self-identify their multihomed status and self-configure protection groups, eliminating the need for manual intervention while maintaining service reliability and reducing resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary detection of multihoming relationships before failures occur. By proactively identifying multihomed devices and pre-establishing protection group identifiers, the system prepares failover mechanisms in advance, ensuring rapid response to egress failures without consuming excessive resources during normal operation.
2Productivity
If automated detection and allocation mechanisms are implemented, then resource consumption is reduced and failover speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into unified mechanisms: the same detection process identifies both multihoming relationships and triggers protection group allocation, and the same advertisement protocol carries both service information and protection group identifiers. This merging reduces the number of separate system components needed while maintaining fast failover capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If protection group identifiers are dynamically allocated, then configuration overhead is reduced and adaptability to service movement is improved, but identifier management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic allocation of protection group identifiers that automatically adapts to service movement and network changes. When services move between network devices, the detection mechanism identifies the new multihoming relationships and reallocates protection group identifiers accordingly, providing continuous adaptability without manual reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
A first network device may receive a first advertisement of a network destination from a second network device and may detect multihoming with the second network device. The second network device may detect the multihoming with the first network device. The first network device and the second network may enable egress protection for the multihoming. The first network device may allocate, from a first pool, a protection group identifier for a group of multihomed network devices and may allocate, from a second pool, a network destination identifier for the network destination. The first network device may provide, to a network and the second network device, a second advertisement that includes the protection group identifier and the network destination identifier. The protection group identifier and the network destination identifier may cause the network to direct traffic for the network destination, via the group of multihomed network devices.