Network Segment Mapping for End-to-End QoS Across Remote Nodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Service providers lack control over quality of service (QoS) between nodes in customer networks, leading to inconsistent quality of experience (QoE) across remote nodes.

Innovation Solution

Implement network slicing techniques to dynamically map traffic types to specific network segments based on identifiers, using segment routing and software-defined networking (SDN) to ensure consistent QoS across all nodes, including remote ones, by inserting identifiers like scalable group tags (SGTs) and network segment identifiers (SIDs) to steer traffic through appropriate slices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If network slicing is implemented to provide differentiated QoS, then service provider control over QoS is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple network segments and mapping mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS consistencyVSAvoidnetwork segment mapping
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network is divided into multiple network segments (slices) with different QoS characteristics. Each segment is identified by a network segment identifier (NSID), allowing traffic to be classified and routed through appropriate segments based on QoS requirements. This segmentation enables differentiated service levels while maintaining manageable complexity through structured organization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A service provider edge (SPE) device acts as an intermediary between customer network nodes and the service provider core network. The SPE performs QoS mapping functions, translating customer network QoS parameters to service provider network QoS parameters. This intermediary simplifies the overall system by centralizing complex mapping logic at the edge rather than requiring complexity at every network node.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If QoS control is extended to remote nodes, then quality of experience is improved, but loss of information increases due to QoS parameter mapping errors

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoE consistencyVSAvoidQoS parameter accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements QoS mapping verification mechanisms that provide feedback on mapping accuracy. The SPE device monitors QoS parameter translations between customer and service provider networks, detecting and correcting mapping errors. This feedback loop ensures QoS information integrity is maintained across network boundaries, preventing loss of QoS parameter accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

QoS mapping rules and parameters are pre-configured and validated before traffic routing begins. The SPE device establishes QoS mapping relationships in advance, ensuring that correct mappings are in place before actual traffic flow occurs. This preliminary configuration prevents mapping errors and information loss during active traffic handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If dynamic traffic mapping to network segments is implemented, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to real-time routing decisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic type mappingVSAvoidreal-time routing
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Traffic classification rules and network segment mappings are pre-configured based on traffic types and QoS requirements. The SPE device establishes mapping relationships between traffic identifiers and network segment identifiers in advance. This preliminary configuration enables rapid real-time routing decisions without requiring complex dynamic analysis during traffic handling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses identifier copying mechanisms where traffic type identifiers are copied and attached to packets, which are then used to look up pre-determined network segment identifiers. This copying approach simplifies real-time routing by avoiding complex matching operations and enabling direct table lookups based on copied identifiers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Reliability

If network slicing is used to provide differentiated QoS, then service provider control is improved, but ease of operation decreases due to configuration complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS controlVSAvoidnetwork configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The service provider edge device serves as an intermediary that abstracts complex network slicing configuration from end users. The SPE device handles QoS mapping configuration, network segment definition, and traffic classification setup centrally. This intermediary approach consolidates configuration complexity at the provider edge rather than requiring complex configuration at every customer network node.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The SPE device performs multiple functions including QoS mapping, traffic classification, network segment routing, and QoS parameter translation. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional device at the network edge, the system simplifies operation compared to requiring separate specialized devices for each function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3841780B1Mechanism to coordinate end to end quality of service between network nodes and service provider core
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP3841780B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3841780B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3841780B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for providing a quality of service between nodes. A service provider can receive, from a first node of a customer network to an ingress node of a service provider network, packets bound for a second node on the customer network that is remote from the first node. The packets are mapped to a network segment according to a traffic type based on an identifier associated with the packets that identifies the traffic type of the packets. The packets are sent via their mapped network segment to an egress node with connectivity to the second node of the customer network according to a quality of service associated with the traffic type identified by the identifier.