Network Element Application Layer Message Compression

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for reducing the size of application layer messages in network elements are impractical, especially in environments with diverse applications, as they require modifying applications to compress and decompress messages, which is time-consuming and costly, and often incompatible across different applications.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system where network elements intercept and compress application layer messages by replacing common portions with shorter references, allowing decompression at the receiving end without modifying the applications, using techniques like push and pull mapping, element-wise tokenization, and position-based encoding.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If application compression is implemented by modifying applications to compress and decompress messages, then message size is reduced, but implementation complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage sizeVSAvoidapplication modification complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a network element as an intermediary that performs compression and decompression of application layer messages. This intermediary sits between the sending and receiving applications, handling the compression/decompression functionality without requiring modifications to the applications themselves. The network element intercepts messages, compresses them using techniques like replacing common portions with references, and decompresses them at the receiving end, thus resolving the contradiction by externalizing the compression function to an intermediary component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of substance

If application-specific compression mechanisms are used for each application, then compression effectiveness improves, but system complexity and incompatibility increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage sizeVSAvoidapplication compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal compression mechanism that works across diverse applications without requiring application-specific implementations. The network element implements a general-purpose compression approach that can handle messages from different applications uniformly. By using techniques like identifying and replacing common portions with references in a protocol-agnostic manner, the system achieves both compression effectiveness and broad applicability across heterogeneous application environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the message into common portions and unique portions, replacing the common portions with references. This segmentation approach allows the compression mechanism to work effectively on the structured elements of messages (like XML tags, headers, or standardized fields) while preserving the variable content. The segmentation enables the compression to be applied universally across different application messages that share common structural elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If message compression is implemented in network elements, then network bandwidth is conserved, but processing overhead at network elements increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork bandwidth consumptionVSAvoidnetwork element processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial compression by selectively replacing only the common portions of messages with references, rather than compressing the entire message. This partial action approach reduces the processing overhead at network elements while still achieving significant bandwidth savings. The network element identifies and compresses only the redundant portions (such as common headers, tags, or structured elements) while leaving the variable content uncompressed, thus balancing processing requirements with bandwidth conservation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS7606267B2Reducing the sizes of application layer messages in a network element

Publication Date: 2009.10.20 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

A method is disclosed for reducing the sizes of application layer messages in a network element such as a network switch or router. According to one aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines an original application layer message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element compresses the original application layer message into a compressed message, and sends the compressed message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. According to another aspect, the network element receives data packets and determines a compressed message that is collectively contained in payload portions of the data packets. The network element decompresses the compressed message into an original application layer message, and sends the original application layer message toward an application that is hosted on a device other than the network element. Compressed messages consume less network bandwidth.