NETCONF Session State Detection via OpenFlow Heartbeat
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of switching devices managed by a controller increases, the periodic method of obtaining NETCONF session information using SOAP over HTTPS becomes inefficient, leading to high overhead and performance pressure due to frequent HTTPS connection establishment, potentially affecting normal operation.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to detect NETCONF session state using OpenFlow, which allows for direct access and operation of forwarding planes in SDN architecture, utilizing a heartbeat keep-alive mechanism based on TCP to maintain connections without establishing HTTPS connections, thus reducing performance overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If periodic SOAP over HTTPS method is used to obtain NETCONF session information, then NETCONF session state can be detected, but performance overhead increases and port numbers may be exhausted due to frequent HTTPS connection establishment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism by using OpenFlow protocol as a mediator to detect NETCONF session state. Instead of directly using HTTPS connections for detection, the system uses OpenFlow messages sent through the switching device to indirectly determine NETCONF session status, thereby reducing direct HTTPS connection overhead while maintaining detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the connection detection mechanism by using OpenFlow heartbeat messages instead of full HTTPS connections. The OpenFlow protocol replicates the essential keep-alive function without requiring the complex HTTPS handshake, thus reducing port number consumption and connection establishment overhead while maintaining session state detection capability
2Loss of information
If periodic HTTPS connections are established to detect NETCONF session state, then session information can be obtained, but system resources are consumed due to frequent connection establishment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic OpenFlow heartbeat messages to detect NETCONF session state. Instead of establishing full HTTPS connections periodically, the system sends lightweight OpenFlow messages at regular intervals, maintaining session information detection while significantly reducing system resource consumption associated with repeated HTTPS handshake and connection management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential keep-alive function from the HTTPS protocol by using OpenFlow protocol separately. This separation allows the system to obtain session state information through a lighter-weight mechanism, removing the heavy overhead of HTTPS connection establishment while preserving the core functionality of detecting whether the NETCONF session is still active
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for detecting a NETCONF session state are provided. According to an example of the method, detection of a NETCONF connection is caused by a change of an OpenFlow connection. In the case that a NETCONF session is established between a controller and a switching device, when detecting that an OpenFlow connection between the controller and the switching device changes in state, the controller sends a packet for obtaining session information of the NETCONF session to the switching device. The NETCONF session is determined to be abnormal if no session information is obtained within a preset time period; and the NETCONF session is determined to be normal if the session information is obtained within the preset time period.