Overlay ICN Manager for Reducing Network Resource Waste
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing Internet architecture is inefficient due to its host-to-host model, leading to redundant content transfer and wastage of network resources, and existing solutions like SDN only improve bandwidth without addressing redundancy, while implementing new architectures like ICN requires significant modifications to existing infrastructure.
Innovation Solution
An Overlay Information Centric Networking (O-ICN) architecture is introduced, which segregates control plane activities from data plane activities, using ICN managers for naming and routing and ICN routers for caching, allowing for incremental deployment without modifying existing infrastructure, and supporting both SDN and non-SDN networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If host-to-host networking model is used, then existing infrastructure can be maintained, but redundant content transfer and network resource wastage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an ICN manager as an intermediary component that sits between the application layer and the network layer. This manager handles content naming, routing decisions, and caching operations, acting as a mediator that transforms host-to-host communication into content-centric communication without requiring changes to the underlying network infrastructure. The ICN manager intercepts content requests, resolves content names to network addresses, and manages content delivery from appropriate sources or caches, thereby eliminating redundant transfers while maintaining compatibility with existing IP networks.
2Productivity
If ICN architecture is implemented, then content delivery efficiency is improved, but significant infrastructure modifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements ICN functionality by adding a new dimensional layer (the ICN manager layer) above the existing TCP/IP protocol stack, rather than modifying the existing network layer infrastructure. This overlay approach allows ICN operations such as content naming, routing, and caching to be performed in a separate namespace that maps to the underlying IP network. The ICN manager translates content-centric operations into IP-based operations, enabling efficient content delivery without requiring changes to routers, switches, or end hosts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the network namespace at the ICN manager layer, where content names and routing information are maintained separately from the physical network topology. The ICN manager maintains content metadata and routing tables that are independent copies of network state information, allowing content delivery decisions to be made based on content identity rather than host location. This copying approach enables ICN functionality to be implemented software-defined without hardware modifications.
3Speed
If content is cached at local routers, then content delivery speed is improved, but router complexity and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the caching functionality from the network infrastructure layer and relocates it to the application layer ICN manager. Instead of requiring routers to implement caching algorithms and maintain content copies, the ICN manager handles all caching operations centrally. The ICN manager intercepts content requests, checks its own cache, and retrieves content from appropriate sources or cached copies, then delivers content to clients. This extraction eliminates the need for complex router modifications while achieving the same content delivery speed improvements through intelligent caching at the manager layer.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and systems for providing requested content to a user device (110) in an Overlay Information Centric Network (O-ICN) architecture are disclosed herein. The method may include receiving a request for accessing content, from the user device (110). The request is routed to the ICN manager (104) from an ICN router (106). The method may also include parsing the request to determine whether the request is an ICN based request. The ICN-based request is associated with a flag. Further, the method includes based on the determination, identifying at least one network entity hosting the requested content. The identification is based on a name of the content. The method also includes sending a notification to the at least one identified network entity for providing the requested content to the user device (110).