Network Federation Controller Peer Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In software-defined networking (SDN), there is a need for ensuring the reliability and consistency of control communications between controllers and forwarding boxes, particularly in network federations where different vendors' devices may have varying capabilities and configurations, leading to potential inconsistencies and errors in data flow management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a peer verification model where controllers verify control communications by requesting votes from functionally-equivalent peers, establishing a consensus or majority output to validate commands, and using a quarantine mechanism to isolate suboptimal performers, thereby ensuring reliable data flow and network health monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If controllers in a network federation directly execute control communications without verification, then the system operates with simpler architecture and faster response, but the reliability and consistency of control communications deteriorate due to varying vendor capabilities and configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary verification action by having peer controllers validate control communications before they are executed. The verifying controller receives a control communication, verifies its validity against the target forwarding box's capabilities and configuration, and only then allows execution. This preliminary check ensures reliability while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where a peer controller acts as a mediator between the issuing controller and the target forwarding box. The verifying controller intermediates by checking the control communication's compatibility and consistency, preventing direct execution of potentially erroneous commands while maintaining the federation's distributed architecture.
2Measurement precision
If controllers verify all control communications through peer voting, then the consistency and accuracy of control decisions improve, but the time required to execute control actions increases due to the verification overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial verification action by having the verifying controller perform targeted checks based on the specific control communication type and the target forwarding box's characteristics. Rather than exhaustive verification of all possible parameters, the system performs sufficient validation to ensure consistency without unnecessary delays, balancing precision with timeliness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where peer controllers provide verification results back to the issuing controller. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from verification outcomes and adjust future verification strategies, reducing redundant checks and improving the timing of control communication execution over time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the system isolates suboptimal performing controllers through quarantine, then the overall network stability improves, but the availability of resources decreases due to isolation of underperforming controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by proactively identifying and quarantining controllers that exhibit suboptimal performance or inconsistent behavior. Rather than allowing problematic controllers to destabilize the network, the system pre-emptively isolates them through quarantine, preventing potential issues while maintaining the ability to rehabilitate and reintegrate them when they recover.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamic resource allocation through the quarantine mechanism, which is not static but adaptive. Controllers can be moved between operational and quarantined states based on their performance, and rehabilitated when they demonstrate improved behavior. This dynamic approach maintains network stability while preserving resource availability and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A controller network device receives command input for providing services over a service provider network and receives a verification request to verify an initial output of a control communication sent to a forwarding network device by a second controller network device in a group of peer controller network devices. The controller network device receives, from other controller network devices in the group of peer controller network devices, results that are responsive to the verification request and based on the command input and identifies a majority output from the results. The controller network device compares the initial output from the second controller network device to the majority output to determine that the initial output failed a verification vote and determines when a threshold number of control communications from the second controller network device, including the initial output, have failed verification votes.