MVPN Tunnel Control via Site-Type Attributes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Multicast VPN arrangements, such as those defined by RFC 6513, lead to the establishment of a significant number of unnecessary tunnels, resulting in inefficient use of network resources and degraded network performance, particularly in scenarios with a small number of sender sites and a large number of receiver sites.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a site-type attribute, sent via BGP messages, to control the establishment of tunnels between network devices, preventing unnecessary tunneling by distinguishing between sender and receiver sites, thereby conserving network resources and improving performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional MVPN arrangements (RFC 6513) are used to enable IP multicast traffic transmission, then multicast capability is provided between customer sites, but a significant number of unnecessary tunnels are established leading to inefficient network resource use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between sender sites and receiver sites, and by type-1 sites and type-2 sites. Network devices are assigned different roles based on their functionality: sender sites originate multicast traffic while receiver sites receive it. This differentiation allows the system to establish tunnels only where needed (from type-1 sites to type-2 sites), avoiding unnecessary tunnels between sites of the same type or from receiver sites to sender sites, thus reducing overall tunnel complexity while maintaining multicast capability.
2Reliability
If tunnels are established between all network devices to ensure connectivity, then network reliability is improved, but network performance is degraded due to resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by establishing tunnels only between specific pairs of network devices (type-1 sites to type-2 sites) rather than between all possible pairs. This selective tunnel establishment ensures reliable connectivity for multicast traffic transmission while avoiding the excessive action of creating unnecessary tunnels, thereby maintaining network performance. The partial action is guided by the site-type attributes that identify which devices need tunnel connectivity.
3Device complexity
If site-type attributes are implemented to control tunnel establishment, then unnecessary tunneling is avoided, but protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by integrating the site-type attribute mechanism into existing BGP protocol frameworks. The same BGP messages and routing protocols used for conventional MVPN operations are enhanced to carry additional site-type information. This allows network devices to automatically determine their role (sender or receiver site) and establish appropriate tunnels without requiring entirely new protocols or complex manual configuration, thus reducing implementation difficulty despite the added functionality.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
In one embodiment, a first network device is configured to receive from a second network device a site-type attribute of the second network device, and to control establishment of a tunnel between the first network device and the second network device based at least in part on the received site-type attribute. The site-type attribute may be received in the first network device as part of a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) message transmitted by the second network device to the first network device, and may comprise a Multicast Virtual Private Network (MVPN) site-type attribute indicating whether the second network device is a sender site of the MVPN. Controlling establishment of the tunnel between the first network device and the second network device may comprise preventing setup of the tunnel if the received site-type attribute indicates that the second network device is a sender site of the MVPN.