Network Measurement Agent Bandwidth Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network measurement tools are inadequate for complex network topologies, particularly in load-balanced networks, as they can only estimate bandwidth for a single path, fail to discover true nodes and links, and introduce false links, limiting their effectiveness in Software-Defined Data Centers (SDDC) where detailed network characteristics are crucial for planning and troubleshooting.
Innovation Solution
A method that measures network characteristics like bandwidth and path diversity without administrative access to intermediate network elements, using a multi-path estimation technique to identify all routing paths and forwarding elements, and calculates bandwidth by generating probing packets with flow signatures to estimate network bandwidth between endpoints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current network measurement tools are used in load-balanced networks, then they can estimate bandwidth for a single path, but they fail to discover true nodes and links and introduce false links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network measurement process into multiple independent path discoveries. Instead of treating the network as a single entity, it identifies and measures each path separately between source and destination, allowing accurate discovery of individual nodes and links on each path while maintaining overall network measurement capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary measurement mechanism that uses probe packets with unique identifiers to traverse the network. These probe packets act as mediators to discover intermediate nodes and links accurately, preventing false link discovery while enabling precise bandwidth measurement across multiple paths
2Quantity of substance
If ECMP routing is deployed to implement load balancing, then bandwidth of the network increases, but current measurement tools can only estimate bandwidth for a single random path
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic measurement approach that adapts to ECMP routing behavior. It continuously discovers and updates multiple active paths between endpoints, adjusting measurements to reflect the dynamic load-balancing state of the network, thereby capturing the true aggregate bandwidth utilization across all paths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal measurement framework that works across multiple paths simultaneously. The measurement tool is designed to function on any path in the ECMP network, discovering and measuring all available paths between source and destination, making the measurement system as versatile as the load-balancing routing itself
3Adaptability or versatility
If path discovery tools are used to detect multiple paths, then they can discover limited paths in best-case scenario, but they always have the possibility to fail to discover true nodes and links or introduce false links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where probe packets carry identification information that is echoed back through the network path. Intermediate nodes and links provide feedback by responding to these probes, allowing the system to verify true path existence and accurately identify all nodes and links along each path, eliminating false link discovery
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a method that generates different network measurements data (e.g., network topology, bandwidth estimation of different paths, etc.) for a pair of endpoints upon receiving a network administrative request (e.g., an application programming interface (API) request) or by other means (e.g., automatically and without intervention of a user). In some embodiments, the method is implemented by a network measurement agent operating on each endpoint and a centralized service component (e.g., web service layer) executing on a network manager machine (e.g., a controller) that responds to measurement requests. The network measurement agent probes the network periodically (i.e., in certain time intervals) or upon an API request that it receives through the network manager machine to gather the measurement data of a particular network topology between a pair of endpoints.