OpenFlow Controller Flow Measurement Bandwidth Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
During OpenFlow traffic management, massive data flows generate a high volume of query and response traffic packets, leading to communication congestion between the controller and forwarding device due to excessive management bandwidth usage.
Innovation Solution
A method where the controller identifies data flows of a preset type, extracts feature identifiers and packet header information, and sends this information to the forwarding device for traffic measurement, allowing the device to update its flow table and measurement instance table accordingly, thereby reducing the need for frequent queries and alleviating congestion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the controller queries the forwarding device to obtain data traffic for OpenFlow traffic management, then the traffic measurement capability is improved, but the management bandwidth is exhausted and communication congestion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The forwarding device autonomously performs traffic measurement functions by maintaining its own flow table and measurement instance table, and automatically updates them based on received data flows. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous controller queries, reducing management bandwidth consumption while maintaining measurement capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller pre-configures the flow table and measurement instance table on the forwarding device with necessary measurement parameters and operations. This preliminary setup enables the forwarding device to perform measurements independently without requiring continuous controller intervention, thereby reducing ongoing management bandwidth requirements.
2Productivity
If the controller sends query and response traffic packets for massive data flows, then the traffic measurement coverage is improved, but communication congestion occurs between controller and forwarding device
Solution Approach 1:
The forwarding device independently maintains and updates its flow table and measurement instance table based on incoming data flows, performing measurements locally without requiring continuous controller communication. This self-service approach expands measurement coverage across massive data flows while avoiding communication congestion.
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement function is segmented from the controller and distributed to the forwarding device. The controller only performs initial configuration, while the forwarding device handles ongoing measurements independently. This segmentation reduces communication overhead and prevents congestion while maintaining comprehensive measurement coverage.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, an apparatus, and a system for flow measurement, which are used to reduce management bandwidth of a controller over a forwarding device. The method includes: receiving a data flow sent by a forwarding device, and knowing the type of the data flow by parsing the data flow; if the type of the data flow is a preset type in a measurement flow type set, obtaining a feature identifier carried in the data flow and packet header information of the data flow, and obtain operation information corresponding to the data flow, and adding a measurement operation for the feature identifier to the operation information, where the operation information is used to record various operations of the data flow; and sending, to the forwarding device, the packet header information and the operation information added with the measurement operation for the feature identifier.