Overlay Network Manager Routing Flexibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional routing systems in computing networks lack flexibility and efficiency, particularly in virtualized environments, where routing decisions are often limited to packet information and do not account for supplemental data that could optimize network traffic.
Innovation Solution
The Overlay Network Manager (ONM) system enables logical networking by allowing users to configure network topologies and routing costs for virtual networks, which are then propagated to the substrate network, enabling independent routing decisions based on performance characteristics and optimizing traffic without exposing users to physical network details.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional routing systems are used, then network operations are simple, but routing flexibility and efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into virtual networks overlaying the physical substrate network. Each virtual network can have independent routing policies and characteristics, allowing flexible routing decisions without redesigning the entire physical network infrastructure. This enables different routing behaviors for different virtual networks while maintaining a unified physical network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual network components as intermediaries between applications and the physical substrate network. These virtual components handle routing decisions based on supplemental information and user-defined policies, shielding applications from physical network complexity while enabling flexible routing without exposing users to physical network details.
2Productivity
If routing decisions are based only on packet information, then routing is simple, but optimization opportunities are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where routing decisions are continuously optimized based on network conditions, performance metrics, and supplemental information. The system monitors network state and adjusts routing paths dynamically to optimize efficiency while considering user-defined performance levels and costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for routing decisions by incorporating supplemental information beyond basic packet headers. This includes user-defined performance levels, routing costs, and other contextual data that enable more informed routing optimization without requiring fundamental changes to routing infrastructure.
3Reliability
If physical network details are exposed to users, then routing control is precise, but security and isolation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses virtual network components as intermediaries that provide users with routing control capabilities without exposing physical network details. Users can define routing policies and performance requirements at the virtual network level, and the system translates these into appropriate physical network routing decisions, maintaining both security isolation and operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of network functionality that operate independently from the physical network. These virtual network instances provide users with sufficient routing control for their needs while abstracting away the complex physical network details, thereby maintaining security and isolation without sacrificing operational capability.
Data Source
AI summary
With the advent of virtualization technologies, networks and routing for those networks can now be simulated using commodity hardware rather than actual routers. For example, virtualization technologies such as those provided by VMWare, XEN, or User-Mode Linux can be adapted to allow a single physical computing machine to be shared among multiple virtual networks by providing each virtual network user with one or more virtual machines hosted by the single physical computing machine, with each such virtual machine being a software simulation acting as a distinct logical computing system that provides users with the illusion that they are the sole operators and administrators of a given hardware computing resource. In addition, routing can be accomplished through software, providing additional routing flexibility to the virtual network in comparison with traditional routing. As a result, in some implementations, supplemental information other than packet information can be used to determine network routing.