Network Traffic Rate Throttling for Service Overload Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of personal electronic devices puts significant stress on communications networks due to replicated software bugs or malicious code causing repeated service requests, leading to network saturation and sudden heavy loads that can bring down services and intermediary networks.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a detection and control system that monitors network traffic and instructs proxies to slow or halt service requests from affected devices when a capacity limit is exceeded, using a set of rules to manage traffic and reduce the frequency of requests, thereby protecting services and networks from overload.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices repeatedly submit service requests due to software bugs or malicious code, then the devices continue to attempt service communication, but network saturation and service overload occur
Solution Approach 1:
A rate throttler intermediary is introduced between devices and services to monitor and control request rates. The intermediary receives requests from devices, determines whether they exceed rate thresholds, and blocks or allows requests accordingly, preventing network saturation while maintaining legitimate service communication
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors request rates and dynamically adjusts throttling decisions based on real-time conditions. When request volumes exceed capacity limits, the rate throttler blocks requests and can notify devices to slow down, creating a feedback loop that prevents overload while allowing services to recover
2Reliability
If services implement denial of service actions to protect from heavy loads, then service overload is prevented, but intermediary networks and third party services remain vulnerable to traffic load impact
Solution Approach 1:
The rate throttler performs preliminary filtering of requests before they reach the service or intermediary networks. By monitoring request rates in advance and blocking excessive requests at the intermediary level, the system prevents network stress from propagating to services and third-party infrastructure before the overload occurs
3Reliability
If a popular service experiences outage and comes back online, then service availability is restored, but sudden heavy load from simultaneous reconnection attempts causes network stress
Solution Approach 1:
The rate throttler implements periodic rate limiting that allows services to recover gradually after outages. By enforcing rate thresholds and blocking requests that exceed them, the system prevents sudden heavy loads from simultaneous reconnection attempts while still allowing services to become accessible again
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares cushioning capacity in the form of rate threshold buffers before outages occur. When services come back online, the pre-configured rate limits act as a cushion to absorb the surge of reconnection attempts, preventing network stress while allowing gradual service restoration
Data Source
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AI summary
A network traffic monitoring system monitors communications that a large number of personal electronic devices will direct to various services via various proxies. When a detection system determines that the volume of requests directed to at least one of the services exceeds a capacity limit threshold, a control system will command the proxies to instruct the devices to slow or stop the service requests until the system determines that it is clear to resume communication.