Packet Color Marking for End-to-End Network Flow Statistics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing network monitoring techniques, such as RFC 8321, face challenges in implementing network-wide and end-to-end packet color marking without globally enabling the marking mechanism and synchronizing color changes across intermediate nodes, making it difficult to track packet flows accurately.

Innovation Solution

A packet color marking scheme where nodes maintain both local operating and admin colors, with the trace starting node managing interval timers and colors, ensuring that only the trace starting node changes admin colors, while other nodes propagate the same operating color, allowing for end-to-end flow monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If packet color marking is enabled at all network nodes to achieve end-to-end flow tracking, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to synchronization requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveend-to-end flow tracking accuracyVSAvoidcolor marking synchronization complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the color marking function into two independent parts: operating color (managed locally by each node for packet marking) and admin color (managed centrally by the trace starting node for synchronization). This segmentation allows nodes to perform marking without requiring complex synchronization mechanisms, as each node independently manages its operating color while the trace starting node coordinates admin color changes across the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The trace starting node acts as an intermediary that mediates color changes across the network. Instead of requiring all nodes to synchronize independently, the trace starting node propagates admin color changes to intermediate nodes, which then update their operating colors accordingly. This intermediary approach simplifies the synchronization process by centralizing coordination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If global color marking is implemented to track all packet flows, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of information increases due to packet overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflow tracking capabilityVSAvoidpacket overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Each network node maintains its own local operating color independent of other nodes. This local quality approach allows nodes to mark packets with colors relevant to their local context without requiring global coordination, reducing the overhead associated with maintaining and propagating global state information across the entire network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements color marking selectively rather than universally. Only packets that require tracking (those passing through the trace starting node or matching trace criteria) receive color marking, while other packets are processed normally. This partial action approach reduces the overall overhead and information loss compared to global marking of all traffic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If intermediate nodes advertise color changes to maintain synchronization, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to additional processing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronized color markingVSAvoidpacket processing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The trace starting node performs preliminary action by pre-establishing the admin color and propagating it to intermediate nodes before actual packet processing begins. This allows intermediate nodes to have their operating colors already configured to match the expected admin color, eliminating the need for real-time synchronization advertisements during packet processing and reducing processing overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12438797B2Network end-to-end traffic flow statistics from arbitrary network location

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Techniques and architecture are described for tracking flows of packets in a network using a packet color marking scheme for obtaining network end-to-end traffic flow metrics in the network. In particular, in configurations, a user may be prompted to specify a site and a virtual private network (VPN) at which to start a trace for packet flows using a coloring marking scheme within the network. Given the VPN and the site, it is possible to monitor interested packet flows and apply metadata, e.g., colors, on flow packets. Remote wide area network (e.g., software defined WAN (SD-WAN)) routers receiving the packets with metadata may automatically trace the same flow and apply the same metadata to a next hop router. Hence, an end-to-end network path may be discovered.