Network Topology Minimizing Long Cable Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing an efficient interconnection plan for large-scale networks that minimizes the number of long-cable connections while ensuring balanced connectivity among groups, given constraints on the number of groups, spines, and ports, is a challenging task due to physical limitations and varying design parameters.
Innovation Solution
A design tool that uses a processor to determine an interconnection plan by specifying connections among spines in a clique or bipartite scheme, minimizing long-cable connections and balancing inter-group connections, with options for dividing groups into subsets and allocating spines to racks to optimize cable usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a mesh topology is used to ensure high connectivity and redundancy among network elements, then network reliability is improved, but the number of long-cable connections increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into multiple groups of network elements, where each group is interconnected using short cables. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high connectivity within groups while reducing the need for long-cable connections between groups, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and cable length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the network topology, organizing elements into groups with intra-group connections using short cables and inter-group connections using long cables. This dimensional organization reduces the overall number of long-cable connections needed while maintaining network reliability through the hierarchical structure.
2Productivity
If the number of inter-group connections is increased to improve network connectivity, then network performance is improved, but the complexity of the interconnection plan increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the network into groups with defined intra-group and inter-group connection patterns, the patent simplifies the overall interconnection plan. The segmentation creates modular units that can be independently configured, reducing the complexity of managing full mesh connections while maintaining network performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the connection parameters by defining specific numbers of short-cable and long-cable connections per network element based on group size and topology type. This parameterization allows for optimized connectivity without manually designing complex interconnections, as the connection patterns can be systematically generated based on the chosen parameters.
3Loss of substance
If short-cable connections are maximized within groups to reduce cost, then interconnection cost is reduced, but the number of groups must be increased which may increase overall system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses segmentation into groups to maximize short-cable connections within each group, reducing interconnection costs. The group size and number are optimized based on the available short and long cables, ensuring that the segmentation reduces cost without creating excessive system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates universal group structures that can be replicated across the network, where each group follows the same internal topology pattern. This universality allows the system to scale by adding more groups without increasing the complexity of individual group configurations, as the same modular design is reused throughout the network.
Data Source
AI summary
A design tool for network interconnection includes a processor coupled to an input device and to an output device. The processor receives via the input device design parameters including: (i) a number G of groups of network elements, (ii) a number S of spines associated with each group, and (iii) a number P of ports that each spine has for connecting to other spines, using short-cable connections or long-cable connections. The processor determines an interconnection plan by specifying connections among spines belonging to different groups, in a clique or a bipartite scheme, so that for given values of G, S and P, (i) a number of the long-cable connections among the spines is minimized, and (ii) a number of inter-group connections is balanced among the G groups up to a deviation of a single connection. The processor outputs to the output device instructions for applying the interconnection plan.