Multipath Traffic Switch Damping via Timer Increment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In networks with multiple paths, switching traffic from one path to another can lead to oscillation and negative impacts due to bandwidth and capacity issues, resulting in delayed or lost traffic, especially when new paths are shared with other senders and receivers.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for managing multipath traffic switching by selecting a first path, setting an initial timer, and incrementing it if path characteristics are unsatisfactory, switching to a second path when the timer expires, and adjusting timer values to dampen oscillation and minimize disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the Sender switches traffic from one path to another in response to rising delays and traffic loss, then the Sender can avoid traffic loss on the overloaded path, but this results in persistent oscillation between paths with negative impacts on traffic over shared paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by introducing a timer that enforces a minimum interval between path switching decisions. The timer prevents the sender from immediately switching back to a previously used path, creating a periodic constraint on switching behavior. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining traffic delivery reliability through path switching while preventing persistent oscillation through the time-based restriction on switching frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing a timer value before path switching occurs. This timer value is configured in advance to dampen oscillations by preventing rapid back-and-forth switching. The preliminary setup of the timer mechanism ensures that when path switching is needed for reliability, it occurs in a controlled manner that maintains overall network stability.
2Productivity
If the Sender switches traffic to a shared path to take advantage of multipath technologies, then the Sender can utilize available path capacity, but the new traffic contends for path bandwidth and capacity causing delays and potential traffic loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring path characteristics such as delay and traffic loss, and using this information to make informed path switching decisions. The feedback mechanism allows the sender to detect when a shared path becomes overloaded and switch to an alternative path, thereby maintaining both high path utilization and reliable traffic delivery. The timer works in conjunction with this feedback to prevent premature switching.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the Sender switches traffic between paths to adapt to changing path characteristics, then the Sender can maintain optimal performance, but the frequent switching causes oscillation and negative impacts on other computers and users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action through the timer to regulate path switching frequency. The timer creates a periodic constraint that prevents the sender from switching paths too frequently, thereby dampening oscillations and reducing negative impacts on other network users. This allows the system to maintain adaptability to genuine path characteristic changes while filtering out rapid fluctuations that would cause harmful oscillation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of managing multipath traffic switching in a network includes a plurality of shared paths, including selecting a first path from among the plurality of shared paths; setting an initial timer to an initial timer value; sending network traffic over the first path; based on determining that at least one path characteristic of the first path is unsatisfactory and that the initial timer has not expired, generating an updated timer value by increasing the initial timer value; and based on determining that the at least one path characteristic of the first path is unsatisfactory and that the initial timer has expired, selecting a second path, sending the network traffic over the second path, and setting an updated timer to the updated timer value.