Peer Router ISL Control for Multicast Resource Conservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The excessive consumption of resources in secondary routers due to duplicate multicast packet transmission and the resulting depletion of hardware resources in VSX architectures for multicast traffic routing, particularly in peer VSX routers, is addressed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a resource optimization processor that selectively disables the ISL between peer routers when multicast is enabled, preventing duplicate packet transmission to secondary routers, and enables ISL only for failed downstream links to ensure redundancy and resource conservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ISL interface is by default a member of all VLANs on peer routers to provide network redundancy, then high availability and robust performance are improved, but excessive consumption of hardware resources occurs due to duplicate multicast packet transmission to secondary routers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the ISL interface VLAN membership selective rather than universal. The interface is made a member only of specific VLANs that require redundancy,而不是all VLANs. This is achieved through configured VLAN membership control that differentiates between VLANs needing redundancy and those that don't, thereby reducing unnecessary multicast traffic duplication to secondary routers while maintaining reliability for critical VLANs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the VLAN membership of the ISL interface by creating separate configurations for different VLANs. Primary and secondary routers are configured with specific VLAN memberships for the ISL interface on a per-VLAN basis, allowing the system to divide the network into segments that require redundancy and those that don't, thus optimizing resource usage while maintaining necessary availability
2Reliability
If multicast traffic is routed through both primary and secondary peer routers to ensure redundancy, then network reliability is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates due to duplicate packet transmission and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by differentiating the role of primary and secondary routers for different VLANs. The secondary router is configured to receive and process multicast traffic only for specific VLANs where redundancy is required, while for other VLANs the primary router handles all multicast traffic. This selective configuration reduces the secondary router's processing burden and prevents unnecessary duplicate packet transmission, thereby improving resource utilization while maintaining reliability for critical services
Data Source
AI summary
A resource optimization processor is disclosed for inclusion in peer routers. The resource optimization processor performs a method for resource optimization of the routers. The method includes disabling an inter-switch link (ISL) between peer routers and monitoring downstream links between a primary router and downstream devices connected to the primary router. The method further includes identifying a failure of at least one downstream link and enabling the ISL between the first router and the second router for the failed downstream link upon identification of the failure.