Network Data Tapping for Parallel Load Balancing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional load balancing techniques often result in a single processing device becoming overloaded when handling large data streams, leading to failure and increased processing overheads, with existing solutions like proxies or message queues causing bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A network configuration where processing nodes intercept and filter data streams, distributing processing operations among multiple nodes while maintaining a network session, allowing the destination node to focus on session management and receive responses from processing nodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional load balancing techniques are used to distribute processing tasks, then workload distribution is achieved, but a single processing device becomes overloaded when handling large data streams

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkload distributionVSAvoidprocessing device overload

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data stream into multiple portions and distributes these portions to different processing devices for parallel processing. Each processing device handles a specific segment of the data stream, preventing any single device from becoming overloaded while maintaining overall processing efficiency and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If proxies or message queues are used to handle large data streams, then data capacity is increased, but processing overheads and bottlenecks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata capacityVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the data stream directly from the network using network taps or port mirroring, bypassing traditional proxies and message queues. This extraction approach increases data capacity handling while minimizing processing overhead by eliminating intermediate handling layers that create bottlenecks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If the destination node processes all data in the data stream, then complete data processing is achieved, but the destination node becomes overloaded and fails

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata processing completenessVSAvoiddestination node failure

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The destination node segments the incoming data stream and distributes different segments to multiple processing devices. This segmentation allows complete data processing across the system while preventing any single destination node from becoming overloaded, thereby maintaining system reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary processing devices between the destination node and the data processing function. These intermediaries receive segmented data portions from the destination node and perform the actual processing, protecting the destination node from overload while ensuring complete data processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If a single processing device handles the entire data stream, then simplified architecture is maintained, but processing speed and network response time decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearchitecture simplicityVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data stream and distributes it to multiple processing devices that operate in parallel. This segmentation increases processing speed and network response time while maintaining relatively simple architecture through automated segmentation and distribution mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple processing devices into a coordinated parallel processing system. By merging the processing capabilities of multiple devices while maintaining simplified architecture through automated load distribution, the system achieves higher processing speeds without significant architectural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250211534A1Tapping network data to perform load balancing

Publication Date: 2025.06.26 PAYPAL INC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer program products are included for load balancing processing of a data stream that is communicated over a network. An exemplary method includes establishing a communication session over a network between a source endpoint device and a destination endpoint device. A network device in the network receives a data stream that is communicated to the destination endpoint device from the source endpoint device during the communication session. The network device provides data corresponding to the data stream to a processing device. The processing device identifies a portion of the data that is assigned to the processing device and performs operations to process the portion of the data. After performing the operations, the processing device communicates a response corresponding to the processing to the source endpoint device by way of the destination endpoint device.