Network Routing Using Aggregated Links and Port Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Network routing protocols face challenges in routing transactions to the correct port of a destination endpoint, especially in networks with multiple ports and aggregated links, as the system memory address of the destination endpoint is insufficient to indicate the specific port, leading to potential misrouting.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a target ID and a supplemental routing ID to identify and select a specific group of ports, constraining the transaction to a specific path that routes it to the correct port of the destination endpoint, using two indexing and sorting tables to manage port connections and link aggregations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a system memory address of a destination endpoint is used as a target identifier for routing transactions, then the routing protocol is simple to implement, but it becomes insufficient for endpoints connected using multiple ports since the target ID does not indicate the specific port
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing identification into two distinct components: a target ID that identifies the destination endpoint and a port ID that identifies the specific port. This segmentation allows the routing protocol to maintain simplicity through the target ID while simultaneously providing complete port identification through the separate port ID field, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and information completeness.
2Productivity
If aggregated links are employed in the network to increase bandwidth and redundancy, then network capacity is improved, but divergent paths are introduced at various hops that can constrain transactions to paths routing to the wrong port
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary routing mechanism that uses port ID tables and constraint groups as mediators between the target endpoint and the specific port. These intermediaries maintain the benefits of aggregated links for network capacity while ensuring routing accuracy by constraining transactions to paths that lead to the correct port, preventing misrouting despite the presence of divergent paths.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ports per endpoint are supported to enable link aggregation, then network flexibility and capacity are improved, but the routing table size increases and programming complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds another dimension to the routing structure by introducing port ID tables and constraint groups as separate layers from the basic target ID routing. This dimensional addition allows multi-port support and link aggregation without proportionally increasing overall routing table size, as the port-specific information is organized in dedicated structures rather than expanding the main routing table.
Data Source
AI summary
Introduced herein is a routing technique that, for example, routes a transaction to a destination port over a network that supports link aggregation and multi-port connection. In one embodiment, two tables that can be searched based on the target and supplemental routing IDs of the transaction are utilized to route the transaction to the proper port of the destination endpoint. In an embodiment, the first table provides a list of available ports at each hop/route point that can route the transaction to the destination endpoint, and the second table provides a supplemental routing ID that can select a specific group of ports from the first table that can correctly route the transaction to the proper port.