Network Protection State Pre-calculation for Failure Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current network failure recovery mechanisms are inefficient in dynamically allocating resources and often require real-time recalculation, leading to prolonged recovery times and increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

A method that pre-calculates and dynamically updates the protection state of a computer network based on resource availability, allowing for efficient allocation of network and IT resources upon failure occurrence, independent of network technology, and considers constraints like power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If real-time recalculation of protection paths is performed upon failure, then the network can adapt to the failure, but the recovery time is prolonged and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure recovery capabilityVSAvoidrecovery time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-calculates and stores protection paths for potential failures before they occur. When a failure happens, the system simply activates the pre-computed protection path instead of recalculating in real-time, thereby significantly reducing recovery time while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If real-time recalculation of protection paths is performed upon failure, then the network can adapt to the failure, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefailure recovery capabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs path calculation in advance when resources are abundant and the network is stable, storing these pre-computed paths for immediate activation. This eliminates the need for energy-intensive real-time calculations during failure events, reducing overall power consumption while maintaining recovery capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of time

If network resources are allocated for protection in advance, then recovery time is reduced, but resource availability for other uses decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverecovery timeVSAvoidresource availability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-calculates protection paths using computational algorithms executed during normal network operation when resources are plentiful. The actual protection resources are not allocated until failure occurs, allowing full resource utilization during normal operation while ensuring rapid recovery when needed

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses pre-computed path information as an intermediary that bridges the need for rapid recovery and full resource utilization. This intermediary data structure allows the network to switch to protection mode instantly without having permanently allocated resources, thus maintaining resource availability during normal operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2541416B1Protection against a failure in a computer network
Publication Date: 2019.07.24 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2541416B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2541416B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2541416B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

It is disclosed a method for protecting a computer network against a failure. The method comprises: identifying a number of possible failures which might occur within the computer network, the number of possible failures comprising at least one possible failure; and, based on detected availability of resources in the computer network, determining a protection state of the computer network allowing to circumvent the possible failure and dynamically updating the determined protection state based on changes of the detected availability. The method further comprises, upon occurrence of the failure, if the occurred failure corresponds to the possible failure, bringing the computer network into an operative protection state corresponding to the determined and dynamically updated protection state.