Decentralized Network Packet Forwarder Election for Centralized Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The decentralized network cloud controller (NCC) disconnection in the DDC network system leads to increased failure points and uncontrollability, complicating maintenance and management due to the need to log into individual NCPs and NCFs separately, and version upgrades require individual operations on each device.
Innovation Solution
A decentralized network device system with network cloud packet forwarders (NCPs) that include an election module to determine a primary management NCP, which centrally processes management service packets, reducing the need to manage each device individually by aggregating and managing service packets, and a backup NCP to handle failures, ensuring seamless operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a decentralized network cloud controller (NCC) is used in the DDC network system, then the issue of NCC disconnection is addressed, but the number of failure points increases and the system becomes uncontrollable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the decentralized NCPs into a single centralized management entity. When an NCP is elected as the management NCP, it consolidates the management functions of all NCPs and NCFs into one point, making the decentralized system controllable through centralized management while maintaining the decentralized architecture's reliability benefits
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual NCPs and NCFs are managed separately, then device autonomy is maintained, but maintenance and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management NCP acts as an intermediary between the network administrator and the individual NCPs/NCFs. It provides a unified management interface that simplifies maintenance operations while the underlying NCPs and NCFs maintain their autonomous operational capabilities, thus resolving the contradiction between device autonomy and ease of management
3Adaptability or versatility
If version upgrades are performed on each device individually, then device independence is preserved, but upgrade time and operational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The management NCP performs preliminary actions by preparing and coordinating version upgrades across all devices before execution. It can pre-validate upgrade packages, prepare configuration changes, and coordinate the timing of upgrades across multiple devices, thereby reducing the actual upgrade time while preserving device independence through controlled synchronization
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of this application disclose a decentralized network device system, method, network cloud packet forwarder, and readable storage medium. The system includes: one or more network cloud packet forwarders NCPs, including one or more candidate management NCPs and a primary management NCP, where the one or more candidate management NCPs are determined by the one or more NCPs based on received configuration packets, the primary management NCP is determined from the one or more candidate management NCPs through an election algorithm, and the primary management NCP is configured to centrally process management service packets of the system; and one or more network cloud fabrics NCFs, configured to receive and forward packets from the one or more NCPs, the packets including packets notifying results of the election algorithm and management service packets.