Packet Broker Internal Identifier Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packet brokers are limited in their ability to properly route traffic through network tools, especially when these tools are shared by multiple traffic flows, as they struggle to distinguish between different traffic streams, leading to complex connectivity issues and inefficiencies in network monitoring systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a packet broker that assigns internal identifiers to data packets based on packet-matching criteria, allowing it to guide specific streams of traffic through sequences of network tools, including shared ones, by using tagging mechanisms and translation schemes to ensure accurate routing and sharing of network tools across multiple traffic flows.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If packet brokers use conventional routing methods to guide traffic through network tools, then the system structure remains simple, but the ability to properly route traffic through shared network tools deteriorates, leading to complex connectivity issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces internal identifiers as intermediary elements that packet brokers attach to data packets. These identifiers act as mediators between packet brokers and network tools, enabling precise traffic differentiation and routing through shared network tools without complex connectivity management. The internal identifiers allow packet brokers to distinguish between different traffic flows and guide them through the appropriate network tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments traffic flows by assigning unique internal identifiers to different traffic streams. This segmentation allows packet brokers to treat different traffic flows differently when routing them through shared network tools, resolving the contradiction between simple system structure and the ability to properly route traffic through shared tools.
2Measurement precision
If packet brokers assign internal identifiers and use tagging mechanisms to guide traffic, then traffic routing accuracy improves, but the complexity of packet processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having packet brokers assign internal identifiers to data packets before routing them through network tools. This pre-processing step enables accurate traffic differentiation and routing decisions downstream, improving routing accuracy while the identifier assignment itself remains a relatively simple operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by introducing internal identifiers as new attributes in the packet data structure. This parameter change enables packet brokers to distinguish between traffic flows and guide them through shared network tools accurately, with the identifier manipulation remaining computationally efficient.
3Productivity
If network tools are shared by multiple traffic flows, then resource utilization and cost-effectiveness improve, but the ability to distinguish between different traffic streams deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses internal identifiers as intermediaries that preserve traffic stream differentiation information even when network tools are shared by multiple traffic flows. These identifiers allow packet brokers to maintain awareness of which traffic flow generated which packet, enabling proper routing decisions while network tools share resources efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables network tools to serve multiple functions by allowing them to be shared by multiple traffic flows while maintaining the ability to distinguish between flows through internal identifiers. This multi-functionality improves resource utilization and cost-effectiveness without sacrificing traffic stream differentiation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet broker deployed in a visibility fabric may intelligently assign identifiers to data packets that are routed through sequences of one or more network tools for monitoring and/or security purposes. Guiding techniques based on these identifiers offer flexible support for multiple network tool operational modes. For example, the packet broker may be able to readily address changes in the state of a network tool connected to the packet broker by modifying certain egress translation schemes and/or ingress translation schemes. The “state” of a network tool can be “up” (i.e., ready for service) or “down” (i.e., out of service) based on, for example, the network tool's ability to pass through health-probing data packets dispatched by the packet broker.