Overlay Network Multicast Switching for Low Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies face challenges in achieving low latency and high throughput for multicast communications in latency-sensitive environments like financial trading, where existing solutions like TCP and UDP multicast are resource-intensive and introduce significant latency due to complex routing algorithms and buffering, leading to inefficiencies and packet loss.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize an overlay network within a switch to provide dedicated paths for low latency multicast, bypassing traditional routing engines and using subscription-based policies to connect source ports directly to egress ports, reducing latency and jitter by avoiding complex routing algorithms and packet duplication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If traditional routing algorithms and buffering are used for multicast communications, then comprehensive network coverage is achieved, but latency and jitter increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network path is segmented into two distinct types: overlay network paths for low-latency multicast traffic and underlay network paths for standard traffic. The overlay network creates dedicated segmented paths that bypass complex routing algorithms, while the underlay network maintains comprehensive coverage. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization for both latency and coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
An overlay network acts as an intermediary layer between the source and egress ports. This intermediary provides dedicated paths that simplify the routing decision process, eliminating the need for complex real-time routing algorithms while maintaining network coverage through the underlying infrastructure.
2Productivity
If complex routing algorithms and buffering are implemented, then network coverage is improved, but resource consumption increases and packet loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
Paths in the overlay network are pre-established and pre-configured before multicast traffic needs to flow. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time routing computations and buffering operations, reducing resource consumption while maintaining high throughput. The pre-configured paths enable direct forwarding without intermediate processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex routing and buffering functions are extracted from the critical multicast data path and placed in the overlay network control plane. This extraction removes resource-intensive operations from the time-sensitive data forwarding path, allowing high throughput with minimal resource consumption during actual multicast transmission.
3Loss of time
If standard routing paths are used, then network infrastructure is充分利用, but latency-sensitive applications suffer from delays
Solution Approach 1:
The solution adds a new dimension to the network architecture by creating an overlay network layer above the existing underlay infrastructure. This dimensional addition allows simultaneous support for low-latency paths (overlay) and comprehensive coverage (underlay), resolving the contradiction between speed and coverage without compromising either.
Solution Approach 2:
Different path qualities are assigned to different traffic types: the overlay network provides high-quality low-latency paths specifically for latency-sensitive multicast traffic, while the underlay network provides general-purpose comprehensive coverage. This local quality differentiation allows optimization for specific requirements without sacrificing overall network capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method is provided and includes generating a packet at a switch; and sending the packet from a designated source port to a plurality of egress ports over an overlay network that is to provide an alternate routing path having a lower latency characteristic compared to a standard routing path provided by a forwarding engine of the switch. In more particular embodiments, the overlay network includes one or more dedicated paths from the designated source port to the plurality of egress ports, and the one or more dedicated paths is determined from a mapping between the designated source port and the plurality of egress ports. In other instances, the mapping is provided in a routing table.