Packet Path Tracing in Network Devices Using Directed Graphs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Verifying the behavior of internal components and diagnosing issues in network packet processing devices is challenging due to complexity and numerous component interactions, making it difficult to determine packet paths and create individual test stimuli.
Innovation Solution
A method representing a directed graph of the network packet processing system, where nodes are components and arcs represent packet connections, with unique packet identifiers and log data storage to track packet processing, allowing traversal of the graph to determine which components processed a packet and output the path data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual test stimuli are created for each internal component, then testing completeness improves, but development time and effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses packet capture data as a copy of actual network traffic to automatically generate test stimuli. Instead of manually creating test cases, the system captures real packet flows and uses them to drive component-level testing, significantly reducing development time while maintaining comprehensive test coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary packet capture and analysis during normal device operation. By pre-capturing packet data and building a directed graph representation of component interactions in advance, the system prepares test stimuli before actual component testing is needed, eliminating time-consuming manual test case creation
2Measurement precision
If the system state and packet field values are monitored to determine packet paths, then diagnostic accuracy improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a packet identifier as an intermediary element that links packets to their processing paths. By assigning unique identifiers to packets and using them to trace component interactions, the system achieves precise diagnostic tracking without requiring complex monitoring of all system states and packet fields
Solution Approach 2:
The system extracts only the essential information needed for tracing - packet identifiers and component processing records - from the complex network traffic and system state. By taking out only the relevant data elements rather than monitoring everything, the system maintains diagnostic accuracy while reducing complexity
3Manufacturing precision
If manual verification of component behavior is performed, then testing thoroughness improves, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating test stimuli from captured packet data and executing component tests without manual intervention. The directed graph traversal and test case generation are performed autonomously by the system, maintaining thorough testing while dramatically improving development productivity
Solution Approach 2:
Real network packet flows are copied and used as test stimuli for component testing. This automatic copying of actual traffic patterns replaces manual test case creation and verification, ensuring thorough testing of component behavior with real-world data while eliminating manual labor
Data Source
AI summary
Approaches for gathering packet processing information. A directed graph is used to represent the packet processing system. In response to each network packet input to the system, an associated, unique packet identifier is established for the network packet. Each input network packet is processed by one or more components of the system. For each input network packet, respective log data is stored by each of one or more components of the system that processed the input network packet. The log data includes data from the input network packet, and the associated identifier. Components of the device that processed a packet having a selected, associated packet identifier are determined by traversing the graph and searching for graph-connected nodes for which the represented components stored log data with the selected packet identifier. Data is output indicating the components that processed the packet having the selected packet identifier.