PCE-Based Traffic Engineering Database Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In MPLS and GMPLS networks, the complexity of Traffic Engineering (TE) information management leads to inefficiencies, such as resource overload and communication delays, as nodes maintain and distribute TE information, which is not effectively handled by existing methods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where nodes communicate directly with a Path Computation Element (PCE) to send TE information without flooding it to other nodes, allowing the PCE to manage and compute TE paths, thereby offloading these tasks and improving network efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If nodes maintain and distribute TE information using IGP-TE flooding, then all nodes have access to complete TE information for path computation, but network resource usage increases and communication delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the TE information management function from individual nodes and centralizes it in a dedicated PCE. Nodes no longer need to maintain complete TE databases or participate in flooding TE information, instead they send requests to and receive computed paths from the PCE, which maintains the central TED and performs path computation
Solution Approach 2:
The PCE acts as an intermediary between nodes and the central TED. It receives TE information from nodes, maintains the centralized TED, processes path computation requests, and returns computed paths to requesting nodes, thereby eliminating the need for nodes to directly exchange and maintain complete TE information
2Ease of operation
If nodes maintain local TED copies and synchronize with neighbors, then path computation can be performed locally, but device complexity and synchronization overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the TED maintenance and path computation functionality from individual nodes, centralizing these functions in the PCE. Nodes become simpler entities that only need to send path requests and receive computed paths, while the PCE handles all TED management and computation logic
Solution Approach 2:
The PCE serves multiple functions: it maintains the centralized TED, receives TE information from all nodes, processes path computation requests from any node, and returns computed paths. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for each node to independently maintain and synchronize TED copies
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising a node configured to communicate with a path computation element (PCE) and a neighbor node, wherein the node is configured to send a local traffic engineering (TE) information directly to the PCE without sending the local TE information to the neighbor node. Also disclosed is a network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising establishing a PCE protocol (PCEP) session with a PCE, and sending a TE information directly to the PCE without flooding the TE information. Also disclosed is a method comprising receiving a TE information, updating a first TE database (TED) using the TE information, and synchronizing the first TED with a second TED.