Packet Relay Bandwidth Controller Using Header Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
As the number of users increases in a Wide Area Ethernet network, the existing QoS information management table becomes insufficient, and the hierarchical shaper function requires an increased number of commands for setting bandwidth control information, leading to inefficiencies in queuing and bandwidth management.
Innovation Solution
A packet relay apparatus with a bandwidth controller that acquires user information and priority order information from the packet header, allowing for efficient queuing without relying on a large QoS information management table, thereby reducing the number of entries and commands needed for bandwidth control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the number of users accommodated by one port increases, then the price per port is reduced, but the number of entries in the QoS information management table increases beyond its limited capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the QoS determination logic from the centralized QoS information management table and implements it directly in the bandwidth control unit. By extracting only the necessary user information and priority order information from packet headers, the system eliminates the need for a large QoS information management table while maintaining QoS functionality for a large number of users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the dimension of QoS information storage from a centralized table structure to a distributed header-based structure. Instead of storing QoS information in a multi-dimensional table that requires numerous entries, the system uses packet header fields (user information field and priority order field) to carry QoS information, effectively moving the storage dimension from memory table to data link layer headers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the number of users increases, then more users can be accommodated, but the number of commands for setting bandwidth control information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service by automatically extracting user information and priority order information directly from packet headers during the bandwidth control process. This eliminates the need for manual or centralized configuration commands for each user, as the bandwidth control unit autonomously determines QoS parameters from the packet data itself, thereby reducing configuration complexity even as the number of users increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for bandwidth control from centralized table lookups to direct extraction of user information and priority order from packet headers. By changing the parameter source from a configuration database to real-time packet analysis, the system accommodates a variable number of users without requiring proportional increases in configuration commands.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a large QoS information management table is used to accommodate more users, then more users can be managed, but the memory usage and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential QoS parameters (user information and priority order) from the packet headers and uses these directly for bandwidth control decisions. This extraction approach eliminates the need to store and search large QoS information management tables in memory, thereby reducing memory usage while maintaining the ability to manage a large number of users.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing comprehensive QoS information in a centralized table, the system uses copies of essential QoS parameters embedded in each packet's header. This copying mechanism allows each packet to carry its own QoS information, eliminating the need for large memory tables while enabling the system to handle numerous users efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
In a packet relay apparatus equipped with a hierarchical bandwidth control function, a queuing unit of a bandwidth controller for controlling a bandwidth of a packet to be transmitted recognizes user information for identifying a user from VLAN ID of a received Tag-VLAN packet, acquires queue information representative of a queue position by referring to a priority mapping table by using a user priority order in the packet, and queues the packet to the queue identified by the user information and queue information. Bandwidth control can therefore be performed without searching a QoS information management table.