Partially Disjoint Backup Paths for Dual Fiber-Cut Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bi-connected networks face significant challenges in managing dual link failures, which can cause network outages, especially in large-scale deployments or disaster-prone areas, and existing solutions to enhance resilience, such as converting to tri-connected networks, are time-consuming and expensive.
Innovation Solution
The method involves identifying cut-pairs and cut-groups in a bi-connected network to construct partially disjoint backup paths that can reroute data traffic in case of dual link failures, ensuring network resilience without the need for extensive upgrades.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If bi-connected networks are converted to tri-connected networks to protect against dual link failures, then network resilience is improved, but implementation time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and stores backup paths and cut-pair information in advance during network setup. When a dual link failure occurs, the system can immediately switch to pre-planned backup paths without needing to perform complex real-time calculations or reconfigure the network topology, thus reducing response time while maintaining resilience
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the network into manageable segments by identifying cut-pairs (critical link pairs whose failure partitions the network) and organizing backup paths separately for different failure scenarios. This segmentation allows the system to handle dual link failures in isolated segments independently, reducing the overall complexity and time required for protection implementation
2Reliability
If bi-connected networks are converted to tri-connected networks to protect against dual link failures, then network resilience is improved, but implementation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing network infrastructure serve multiple functions by enabling backup paths to handle both single link failures and dual link failures. The same backup path mechanisms that protect against single failures also protect against dual failures when combined with cut-pair analysis, eliminating the need for separate protection mechanisms and reducing overall implementation cost
Solution Approach 2:
By pre-computing backup paths and storing cut-pair information during network setup, the system avoids the need for expensive real-time topology changes or additional hardware configurations when failures occur. The preliminary preparation of protection mechanisms at minimal cost enables resilient response to dual link failures without requiring expensive tri-connected infrastructure
3Reliability
If backup paths are constructed to protect against dual link failures, then network resilience is improved, but path complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the backup path construction process by first identifying cut-pairs (critical link pairs that partition the network), then constructing backup paths specifically for each cut-pair scenario. This segmentation allows complex dual link failure protection to be broken down into manageable units, making the overall path management less complex and more systematic
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cut-pairs as intermediary structures that mediate between the network topology and backup path construction. By analyzing cut-pairs first, the system can derive backup paths in a structured manner rather than attempting to handle all possible failure scenarios simultaneously, reducing the complexity of path construction and management
Data Source
AI summary
A method for protecting a bi-connected network against a dual link failure, the method comprising finding a plurality of cut-pairs for a data flow, finding a work path and a primary backup path for the data flow, determining the cut-pairs that overlap both the work path and the primary backup path, merging the cut-pairs that overlap the work path and the primary backup path into a plurality of cut-groups, wherein each cut-group comprises a first half and a second half, and constructing a plurality of partially disjoint backup paths based on the cut-groups, wherein one of the partially disjoint backup paths protects against the dual link failure that causes a failure on the second half of a first cut-group and a failure on the first half of a second cut-group.