Position-Aware Ring Network Load Balancing Against Link Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ring network topologies in OT networks experience increased load on specific links due to traffic being pushed along a single path, leading to congestion and suboptimal bandwidth utilization, especially when a supervisory node manages multiple rings, and traditional fault recovery methods result in prolonged convergence times.
Innovation Solution
Implement a position-aware load balancing mechanism where a supervisory networking device determines the relative positions of other devices in the ring to distribute traffic across two links, generating a configuration that balances load and reduces convergence time by half by blocking specific links for subsets of devices based on their positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a supervisory node blocks a specific link in the ring network to break the loop, then network resiliency is maintained and traffic loops are prevented, but the load on the unblocked link increases significantly leading to congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ring network into multiple segments by dividing devices into first and second groups. Each group has its own designated blocked link, creating separate traffic paths. This segmentation allows traffic to be distributed across different links rather than concentrated on a single unblocked link, thereby maintaining network reliability while improving bandwidth utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different blocking configurations to different parts of the network. Specifically, devices in the first group block their respective first links while devices in the second group block their respective second links. This local differentiation in link blocking creates a load balancing effect where traffic is evenly distributed across the ring, resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliability and preventing congestion.
2Reliability
If all traffic is pushed along a single unblocked link to maintain network operation, then the network remains operational, but convergence time after faults increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the network into groups with different blocked links, the patent creates multiple independent traffic paths. When a fault occurs, only the affected segment needs to reconfigure, rather than the entire network. This reduces the convergence time because the reconfiguration scope is limited to local segments rather than the whole ring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple blocked link scenarios before faults occur. Each device is pre-programmed with instructions to block either its first or second link based on its group assignment. When a fault occurs, devices can quickly switch to alternative paths using pre-established configurations, significantly reducing convergence time compared to reactive reconfiguration.
3Productivity
If traditional load balancing distributes traffic evenly across links, then bandwidth utilization improves, but the complexity of managing multiple blocked links increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies configuration management by assigning each device a local quality attribute (group membership) that determines its blocking behavior. Devices in group 1 block their first link, while devices in group 2 block their second link. This simple binary classification reduces the complexity of managing load balancing configurations compared to traditional methods that require complex calculations for each device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables self-service by allowing each device to autonomously determine which link to block based on its pre-assigned group membership. Devices automatically apply the appropriate blocking configuration without requiring complex centralized control or real-time calculations. This self-service approach simplifies the overall system complexity while achieving effective load balancing.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, a supervisory networking device in an Ethernet ring obtains identity information for each of a plurality of other networking devices in the Ethernet ring. The supervisory networking device determines, based on the identity information, a relative position for each of the plurality of other networking devices in the Ethernet ring. The supervisory networking device generates, based on the relative position of each of the plurality of other networking devices in the Ethernet ring, a load balancing configuration for the Ethernet ring. The supervisory networking device implements the load balancing configuration in the Ethernet ring by blocking a first link of the supervisory networking device for a first subset of the plurality of other networking devices and a second link of the supervisory networking device for a second subset of the plurality of other networking devices.