Network Monitoring Pipeline Interleaving for Idle Operator Utilization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional network monitoring appliances experience reduced throughput due to idle operators in processing pipelines, as processing begins at fixed time periods, leading to inefficiencies and wasted capacity.

Innovation Solution

Interleaving processing requests into a temporal processing pipeline, allowing operators to perform tasks upon receipt of a 'begin-window' signal and indicating idleness with an 'end-window' signal, enabling the determination of when additional requests can be interleaved into the chain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If processing requests are handled in fixed time periods with sequential operators, then processing order is maintained and system stability is ensured, but pipeline throughput is reduced due to idle operators

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepipeline throughputVSAvoididle operator time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static fixed-time processing to dynamic adaptive processing. Operators can now accept and process requests outside their original temporal windows by signaling availability through the availability data structure, allowing the pipeline to adapt to varying workloads and eliminate idle time while maintaining processing integrity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuous processing by allowing operators to remain active beyond their designated temporal windows. The availability data structure enables operators to signal when they are ready to process additional requests, ensuring that processing action continues without interruption or idle periods, thereby maximizing pipeline throughput

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

2Productivity

If operators wait for fixed temporal windows to process requests, then processing is organized and predictable, but operator capabilities remain underutilized during idle periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidwasted operator capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Operators autonomously manage their own availability and workloads by signaling their readiness to process requests through the availability data structure. This self-service mechanism allows operators to independently optimize their utilization without external intervention, converting wasted capacity into productive processing while maintaining organized workflow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The availability data structure implements a feedback mechanism where operators communicate their readiness status back to the request routing system. This feedback loop enables dynamic allocation of requests to available operators, ensuring that operator capabilities are fully utilized and preventing waste of processing capacity while maintaining predictable organized processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10437641B2On-demand processing pipeline interleaved with temporal processing pipeline

Publication Date: 2019.10.08 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC

AI summary

Aspects of the technology provide systems and methods for interleaving a processing task in a network monitoring appliance. A process of the technology could include steps for identifying operators in the network monitoring appliance, wherein the operators are sequentially arranged to form a processing pipeline, determining an epoch for the processing pipeline, wherein the epoch corresponds with a time duration required for a processing task to traverse the pipeline, and determining a time window in which a supplemental processing task can be interleaved into the processing pipeline, wherein the time window is based on the epoch. Machine-readable media are also provided.