Packet Tunnel Handling via Mapping Table Lookup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network devices are inefficient and costly in performing routing and tunneling processes for every packet, requiring significant time due to the core layer's extensive processing in wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
A network device that handles packet tunnels by querying a mapping table to determine transformed headers and output ports, allowing for efficient routing and tunneling by either utilizing existing tunnel information or generating it based on the routing table, thereby bypassing the need for core layer processing in many cases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the core layer performs routing process and tunneling process for every packet, then the routing and tunneling can be accurately determined, but the processing time increases significantly and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing mapping tables that store routing and tunneling information before packets arrive. The mapping table is populated with destination IP addresses, output ports, and tunnel headers in advance, allowing the network device to perform quick lookups rather than processing routing and tunneling for every packet in real-time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating simplified copies of routing and tunneling information in the mapping table. Instead of performing complete routing calculations and tunneling operations for each packet, the system copies essential routing data (destination IP, output port, tunnel header) into a lookup table, enabling fast replication and application of pre-determined routing decisions.
2Measurement precision
If the core layer processes every packet, then routing decisions can be made accurately, but the device complexity and processing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the routing and tunneling processing into two distinct parts: (1) the core layer that performs comprehensive routing calculations and populates the mapping table, and (2) the forwarding layer that uses the mapping table for rapid packet processing. This segmentation allows complex routing logic to be executed once during table population, while subsequent packet processing uses simplified lookup operations.
3Reliability
If routing and tunneling are processed for every packet, then network control is precise, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the mapping table to serve itself through automatic lookup and matching operations. When a packet arrives, the system automatically queries the mapping table using the destination IP address, retrieves the pre-stored routing information, and forwards the packet without requiring ongoing core layer intervention. This self-service mechanism maintains precise network control while dramatically improving packet transmission efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network device for handling a packet tunnel comprises a receiving module, for receiving a packet from an input port; a query module, coupled to the receiving module, for querying a mapping table according to the input port and a header of the packet, to generate a query result; a processing module, coupled to the query module, for performing instructions of: determining a transformed header and an output port according to the querying result; and replacing the header with the transformed header, to generate a transformed packet; and a transmitting module, coupled to the processing module, for transmitting the transformed packet via the output port.