Packet Switch Virtual Interface Tunnel Transition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packet switches inactivate all primary paths on a port when one primary path fails, even if other paths are still operational, leading to unnecessary service interruptions and inefficient network redundancy.
Innovation Solution
A packet switch method that assigns packets to virtual interfaces associated with multiple tunnels, designates one as primary and others as backup, and uses tables to manage tunnel transitions, allowing only the affected primary path to switch to backup without affecting others.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the packet switch inactivates all primary paths on a port when one primary path fails, then the backup path becomes active to maintain service, but other operational primary paths are unnecessarily inactivated causing service interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the port-level failure response into individual tunnel-level responses. Instead of inactivating all primary paths on a port when one fails, the system now identifies and inactivates only the specific failed tunnel while preserving other operational tunnels on the same port. This is achieved by tracking tunnel status independently and selectively transitioning only the affected virtual interface to its backup tunnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making the failure response localized to the specific failed tunnel rather than applying a blanket inactivation to all tunnels on the port. Each tunnel's backup path is independently activated only when its corresponding primary tunnel fails, allowing different tunnels on the same port to have different operational states based on their individual health status.
2Reliability
If the packet switch designates one tunnel as primary and others as backup for each virtual interface, then seamless transition is possible when primary fails, but the system complexity increases with multiple tunnel management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universality by creating a standardized tunnel grouping and backup mechanism that can be applied across multiple virtual interfaces and tunnels uniformly. The same primary-backup tunnel relationship model and transition process is used for all virtual interfaces, making the system scalable and manageable despite the increased number of tunnels. The port-level and virtual interface-level organization provides a universal framework for managing multiple tunnels.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the packet switch maintains multiple primary paths on a single port, then network redundancy is improved, but the risk of unnecessary inactivation of operational paths increases when one path fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by making the tunnel status configuration adaptive rather than static. The system continuously monitors tunnel health and dynamically adjusts the active/backup status of tunnels based on real-time conditions. When a primary tunnel fails, the system dynamically transitions to the backup tunnel for that specific virtual interface while maintaining other operational primary tunnels, creating a flexible response to changing network conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Packet switch operating methods and packet switches provision a plurality of tunnels on a packet switch by associating each of the plurality of tunnels with a packet switch port and by configuring the packet switch to modify packets relayed by the tunnel to include a transport identifier associated with the tunnel. The tunnels of the plurality relay packets when permitted by a tunnel index. The plurality of tunnels and the tunnel index are associated with a virtual interface. The methods and packet switches also permit a first tunnel of the plurality of tunnels to relay packets by configuring the tunnel index to indicate the first tunnel. The tunnel index indicates only one tunnel. The methods and packet switches also enable a second tunnel of the plurality of tunnels to relay packets by configuring the tunnel index to indicate the second tunnel, thereby preventing the first tunnel from relaying packets.