Peer-to-Peer Tunnel Packet Ordering via Access Node Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In digital networks operating under IEEE 803.2 and 802.11 standards, traffic transitioning from controller-terminated tunnels to peer-to-peer tunnels can result in out-of-order packet arrival, affecting applications like multimedia, causing issues such as stuttered or dropped audio and video due to the difference in speed between the 'slow' and 'fast' pipes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method where traffic through peer-to-peer tunnels can begin flowing as soon as the tunnel is established, or traffic can be queued until the completion of slow tunnel traffic, using techniques such as timing out slow tunnel traffic, sending special packets, or using acknowledgments to release queued packets, ensuring in-order delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traffic is routed through controller-terminated tunnels, then authentication and security processes are performed, but packet arrival time increases and speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the tunneling process into two types: controller-terminated tunnels for authentication and security processing, and peer-to-peer tunnels for high-speed data transmission. This segmentation allows the system to maintain security through controller involvement while achieving fast transmission through direct peer-to-peer paths, resolving the contradiction between security reliability and transmission speed.
2Speed
If traffic transitions from slow pipe to fast pipe, then transmission speed improves, but packet order is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing peer-to-peer tunnels before traffic transition is complete. The access node prepares the fast pipe tunnel in advance and uses buffering mechanisms to hold packets until the slow pipe traffic is fully processed, ensuring that when packets switch to the fast pipe, they maintain proper ordering and do not arrive out of sequence.
3Loss of time
If peer-to-peer tunnel is established, then transmission time is reduced, but packet out-of-order arrival occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary buffering mechanism at the access node that mediates between the fast peer-to-peer tunnel and the slow controller-terminated tunnel. This buffer acts as a mediator that receives packets from the slow pipe, waits for appropriate timing, and releases them to the fast pipe in the correct sequence, preventing out-of-order delivery while maintaining the speed advantage of peer-to-peer transmission.
Data Source
AI summary
Initiating peer-to-peer tunnels between clients in a mobility domain. Client traffic in a mobility domain normally passes from the initiating client to an access node, and from the access node through a tunnel to a controller, and then through another tunnel from the controller to the destination access node, and the destination client. When initiated by the controller, the access nodes establish a peer-to-peer tunnel for suitable client traffic, bypassing the “slow” tunnels through the controller with a “fast” peer-to-peer tunnel. Traffic through this “fast” tunnel may be initiated once the tunnel is established, or traffic for the “fast” tunnel may be queued up until traffic has completed passing through the “slow” tunnel.