Packet Switch Control Plane Processing Using Common Forwarding Format

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing separation of forwarding and control planes in packet switches results in significant time delays due to the hardware-based forwarding plane and software-based control plane, with the control plane taking longer to process packets, especially when handling packets addressed to the switch itself or control protocol packets.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a packet switch with forwarding circuitry that modifies packets to a common forwarding information format, allowing efficient forwarding to the control plane and subsequent processing, while also enabling the forwarding plane to modify packets back to various formats for transmission to ports, thereby reducing the complexity and processing time for the control plane.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If packets are forwarded from the forwarding plane to the control plane for processing, then control plane functionality is enabled, but processing time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol plane processing capabilityVSAvoidpacket processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments packet processing by identifying specific packet types (control protocol packets and packets addressed to the switch) that require control plane processing, separating them from regular data packets that can be handled entirely by the forwarding plane. This segmentation enables selective control plane involvement, reducing overall processing time while maintaining necessary control functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The forwarding plane performs preliminary actions by examining packet headers to identify packets requiring control plane processing before forwarding them. This preliminary identification and filtering allows the control plane to focus only on necessary packets, reducing its processing burden and overall packet handling time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Adaptability or versatility

If the control plane processes multiple forwarding information formats, then packet format versatility is maintained, but control plane complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket format handling capabilityVSAvoidcontrol plane complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the packet format conversion function from the control plane and places it in the forwarding plane. The forwarding plane converts various incoming packet formats to a standard internal format before processing, so the control plane only needs to handle one standard format. This extraction reduces control plane complexity while maintaining versatility through the forwarding plane's conversion capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The forwarding plane acts as an intermediary between external packet sources with various formats and the control plane. It performs format conversion and standardization, serving as a mediator that translates multiple external formats into a single internal format that the control plane processes, thereby reducing control plane complexity while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the forwarding plane forwards packets with different forwarding information formats to the control plane, then packet diversity is preserved, but control plane processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepacket format diversityVSAvoidcontrol plane processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The forwarding plane performs preliminary format standardization by converting all incoming packets to a common internal forwarding information format before forwarding them to the control plane. This preliminary action preserves packet diversity in terms of content and destination while standardizing the format structure, enabling the control plane to process packets more efficiently without losing adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies homogeneity by standardizing the forwarding information format of all packets to a common internal format within the switch. While external packets may have different formats, the internal representation becomes homogeneous, allowing the control plane to process all packets uniformly and efficiently while maintaining the ability to handle diverse packet types through the standardized interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

Data Source

PatentUS8199750B1Communicating with a control plane using a forwarding information format and control plane processing of packets devoid of a virtual switch identifier

Publication Date: 2012.06.12 WORLD WIDE PACKETS INC

AI summary

Packet switch operating methods and packet switches receive a plurality of packets using a forwarding plane of the packet switch. Each packet of the plurality conforms to a different one of a plurality of forwarding information formats. The methods and packet switches modify each packet of the plurality to conform to a common forwarding information format instead of a respective one of the plurality of forwarding information formats and forward the modified packets of the plurality to a control plane of the packet switch.