Controller-Directed Node Configuration to Reduce Service-Topology Flooding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing OSPF flooding process in networks leads to redundant packet transmission, increasing network bandwidth and processing burdens due to the broadcasting of service topology information through all interfaces, which is inefficient and redundant.
Innovation Solution
A node configuration method where a controller determines and configures specific interfaces for each node to transmit service topology information, reducing flooding paths and bandwidth burdens by specifying which interfaces can transmit this information, while using a minimum spanning tree algorithm to optimize network topology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a node advertises LSA through all other interfaces to ensure network reliability, then reliability is improved, but network bandwidth burden and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flooding process into two distinct types: control topology information flooding (which uses all interfaces for reliability) and service topology information flooding (which uses only specified interfaces). This segmentation allows each type to use the most appropriate flooding strategy for its specific requirements, reducing overall bandwidth burden while maintaining necessary reliability for control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different flooding qualities to different types of information. Control topology information receives full flooding treatment through all interfaces to ensure network-wide reliability, while service topology information receives localized flooding only through specified interfaces. This local quality approach optimizes resource usage by applying high-reliability flooding only where absolutely necessary.
2Reliability
If a node advertises LSA through all other interfaces to ensure network reliability, then reliability is improved, but processing burden of each node increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flooding process into two distinct types: control topology information flooding (which uses all interfaces for reliability) and service topology information flooding (which uses only specified interfaces). This segmentation allows each type to use the most appropriate flooding strategy for its specific requirements, reducing overall bandwidth burden while maintaining necessary reliability for control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different flooding qualities to different types of information. Control topology information receives full flooding treatment through all interfaces to ensure network-wide reliability, while service topology information receives localized flooding only through specified interfaces. This local quality approach optimizes resource usage by applying high-reliability flooding only where absolutely necessary.
3Adaptability or versatility
If nodes determine interface attributes through packet interaction, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary that centralizes the determination of interface attributes. Instead of each node independently determining attributes through complex packet interactions, the controller receives interface information from all nodes, determines the appropriate attributes, and distributes the flooding path configuration back to the nodes. This intermediary approach simplifies node complexity while maintaining adaptability through centralized intelligence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex interface attribute determination logic from individual nodes and relocates it to a centralized controller. By taking out this complex function from the distributed nodes, the system reduces device complexity at the node level while maintaining the necessary adaptability through the controller's centralized decision-making capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application provides a node configuration method, a controller, and a node, to reduce flooding paths of service topology information and lighten burdens of network bandwidth. The method in embodiments of this application includes: First, the controller determines a target network based on an original network, where the original network is for flooding control topology information, the target network is for flooding the service topology information, and a quantity of flooding paths in the target network is less than a quantity of flooding paths in the original network. Next, the controller determines attributes of all interfaces on each node, where the attributes of the interfaces include a first attribute and a second attribute, an interface with the first attribute is configured to flood the service topology information, and an interface with the second attribute is not configured to flood the service topology information. Further, the controller generates first configuration information based on the attributes of all the interfaces on each node, and sends, to each node, the first configuration information corresponding to each node, where the first configuration information indicates each node to configure the attributes of all the local interfaces.