Overlapping Subnet Matching Using Integer-Sorted IP Ranges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for matching host IP addresses with overlapping subnets and IP ranges are inefficient, particularly in large-scale networks with dynamic updates, leading to performance degradation and inconsistent query results.
Innovation Solution
A system that preprocesses subnet and IP range information, converts IP addresses to a standardized format, and maintains a sorted data structure for rapid querying and matching, using techniques like binary search to identify the most specific subnet or IP range containing a given host IP address.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional linear search methods are used for IP address matching, then the implementation is simple, but the query efficiency deteriorates as the number of IP ranges increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms IP addresses and subnet boundaries into integer parameters, enabling efficient numerical comparison and binary search operations. This parameter transformation allows the system to achieve O(log n) query complexity while maintaining matching accuracy, resolving the contradiction between query efficiency and data structure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary processing of IP ranges by pre-calculating integer boundaries and organizing them in sorted data structures before actual matching operations. This preprocessing step enables rapid querying without requiring complex runtime computations, improving query efficiency while keeping the data structure manageable.
2Adaptability or versatility
If frequent updates to IP address ranges are performed, then the system remains dynamic and adaptable, but performance degradation occurs due to data structure maintenance overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic data structure that can efficiently handle insertions, deletions, and modifications of IP ranges. The use of integer-based boundaries and sorted arrays allows for O(log n) update operations, maintaining both adaptability to frequent changes and query performance even as the network configuration evolves.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the number of overlapping IP ranges increases, then the system can represent complex network configurations, but the matching accuracy deteriorates due to increased computational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments overlapping IP ranges into discrete integer boundaries, creating a hierarchical structure that processes ranges from most specific to least specific. This segmentation approach maintains matching accuracy by systematically evaluating each range's boundaries while handling complex overlapping configurations through structured iteration.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include generating a data structure comprising a set of subnets or Internet Protocol (IP) ranges by calculating the lowest and highest IP addresses for each of a plurality of subnets or IP ranges, converting each calculated IP address into an integer value, and sorting the plurality of subnets or IP ranges in descending order based on a lowest converted integer value of each of the plurality of subnets or IP ranges. The method further comprises identifying a host IP address, iteratively querying, using the identified host IP address, individual subnets or IP ranges of the set of subnets or IP ranges in order of increasing size beginning with a subnet or IP range with a smallest size until identifying a subnet or IP range in which the host IP address falls, and labeling the host IP address with an indication of the identified subnet or IP range.