Network Tunnel Resource Sharing via Group Allocation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Tunnel-oriented resource reservation protocols such as RSVP-TE and CR-LDP are unable to share resources among communication paths, leading to redundant resource reservations and limited network capacity and quality of service (QoS) in network elements and segments.
Innovation Solution
Defining a resource-sharing group comprising two or more communication paths that traverse common network elements or segments, with notifications distributed to network elements to allocate shared resources like bandwidth, port utilization, and memory space, using protocols like RSVP-TE or CR-LDP, and employing a sharing group index (SGI) for resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tunnel-oriented resource reservation protocols (RSVP-TE, CR-LDP) are used to establish communication paths, then resource allocation and QoS control are achieved, but resource sharing among multiple communication paths is not supported, leading to redundant resource reservations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple communication paths into a resource-sharing group that traverses common network elements. By combining path identification information from multiple paths and associating them with a common resource-sharing group identifier, the system enables shared resource allocation among paths that previously would have made independent reservations, thereby eliminating redundancy while maintaining QoS control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a universal resource-sharing group mechanism that can accommodate multiple communication paths with different service requirements. The common network elements can serve multiple paths within the same resource-sharing group, allowing a single resource allocation to fulfill multiple path requirements simultaneously, thus achieving multi-functionality in resource utilization.
2Ease of operation
If independent resource allocation is used for each communication path, then resource reservation is simplified, but network capacity and efficiency are limited due to inability to share resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resource allocation process into path-specific identification information and group-level resource sharing. Each communication path maintains its own identification information for routing purposes, while simultaneously belonging to a resource-sharing group that handles resource allocation. This segmentation allows independent path management while enabling shared resource utilization, thus improving network capacity without complicating operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary resource-sharing group identifier that mediates between individual communication paths and common network elements. This intermediary mechanism allows paths to be associated with shared resources without requiring complex direct management between each path and every network element, maintaining ease of operation while enabling resource sharing to boost network capacity.
3Reliability
If resources are allocated to each communication path separately, then path independence is maintained, but physical resource requirements increase and network elements require more capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the resource allocation for multiple communication paths that traverse common network elements into a single resource-sharing group. By combining path identification information and associating it with a common group identifier, the system maintains path independence for routing while merging resource requirements, thus reducing physical resource requirements without sacrificing path independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the network system to discard redundant resource reservations that would otherwise be made independently for each path. By identifying common network elements and paths within resource-sharing groups, the system recovers unused capacity that exists in independent allocation scenarios, thereby reducing overall physical resource requirements while maintaining necessary path independence.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for communication includes defining a resource-sharing group including two or more communication paths that traverse at least two different routes through a communication network, the routes traversing at least one common network element. A notification of an affiliation of the two or more communication paths with the resource-sharing group is distributed over the network. A resource associated with the at least one common network element is allocated so as to share an allocation of the resource among the communication paths in the resource-sharing group responsively to the notification.