OSPF Terminator Filters LSAs for Scalable Optical Network Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing OSPF protocols face challenges in scaling optical networks due to the need for complex management policies and increased overhead in managing OSPF area IDs, which limits network growth and scalability, especially when using Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs) with multiple degrees.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an OSPF terminator that filters Link State Advertisements (LSAs) within OSPF routers, preventing flooding of received packets except for those that need to be flooded back out, allowing for a single OSPF area ID across the network and reducing the OSPF LSA database, thereby simplifying management and enabling scalable, redundant, and applicable optical network deployments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If OSPF protocol is used to manage optical networks, then routing communications between network elements is enabled, but network scalability is limited due to complex management policies and increased overhead in managing OSPF area IDs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical network into multiple OSPF domains, each with its own area ID, managed independently. This segmentation allows each domain to be managed separately, reducing overall management complexity while enabling network scalability through controlled expansion of individual domains.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (OSPF domain boundary routers) that mediates between different OSPF domains. These intermediaries handle the complexity of inter-domain routing, allowing standard OSPF protocols to be used within domains while enabling scalable network growth through controlled inter-domain communication.
2Ease of operation
If a single OSPF area is used in small networks, then simple management is achieved, but network growth capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into multiple OSPF domains that can operate independently with simple management similar to a single area. Each domain maintains management simplicity while the collection of domains provides network growth capability through controlled segmentation and independent domain expansion.
3Loss of information
If OSPF LSAs are flooded across the entire network, then complete routing information is distributed, but network traffic overhead increases with network size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the LSA flooding scope into individual OSPF domains. LSAs are flooded only within their respective domains, not across the entire network. This segmentation maintains complete routing information within each domain while dramatically reducing network traffic overhead by limiting LSA propagation to local domains only.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by allowing each OSPF domain to maintain its own LSA database and flooding characteristics. Each domain operates with optimized LSA flooding appropriate to its size and topology, reducing unnecessary network-wide traffic while maintaining complete routing information locally where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include receiving Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) packets from a plurality of OSPF areas; sending self-generated OSPF packets to the plurality of OSPF areas; and filtering of the received OSPF packets such that received Link State Advertisement (LSA) packets from an OSPF area (are not forwarded to other OSPF areas. In an embodiment, the systems and methods can be used for a scalable OSPF deployment for management of a network, such as an optical network.