Preferred Path Route Graph Consolidation for Network Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies face scalability issues in provisioning preferred path routes (PPRs) due to the extensive amount of data required to create, forward, and store PPR information for each path, leading to resource inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of preferred path route (PPR) graphs, which consolidate multiple PPRs into a single graph, using identifiers and path description elements to indicate ingress and egress nodes, and update forwarding databases to efficiently route data packets based on PPR information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate PPR information is provisioned for each individual path, then routing flexibility and path customization are improved, but data processing load and storage requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual PPR paths into a single PPR graph structure that represents multiple paths simultaneously. Instead of provisioning separate PPR information for each path, the graph consolidates all paths between ingress and egress nodes into one unified data structure, reducing the overall quantity of PPR information that needs to be processed and stored while maintaining the ability to support multiple routing paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The PPR graph serves as a universal data structure that can represent multiple different paths between various ingress and egress node pairs. A single PPR graph can accommodate multiple PPRs with different path descriptions, making the system more versatile without requiring separate provisioning for each individual path, thus improving adaptability while controlling data volume.
2Reliability
If complete PPR information is stored for all possible paths, then path provisioning completeness is improved, but memory usage and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple path descriptions into a single PPR graph structure that efficiently represents all paths between ingress and egress nodes. By merging redundant information and using shared graph elements, the system maintains complete path provisioning capability while significantly reducing the storage volume required compared to storing separate complete PPR information for each path.
Solution Approach 2:
The PPR graph employs a nested structure where path description elements are organized hierarchically within the graph framework. This nesting allows the system to represent complete paths while avoiding redundant storage of common graph elements, as shared nodes and edges are represented once and referenced by multiple paths, thereby maintaining completeness with reduced storage requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by a network element (NE) in a network, comprising receiving, by the NE, preferred path route (PPR) information comprising a PPR identifier (PPR-ID) and a plurality of PPR-Path Description Elements (PPR-PDEs), wherein a PPR-PDE describing the egress NE comprises a destination flag, an anycast PPR-ID, and an anycast group PPR-ID associated with the egress NE, and updating, by the NE, a forwarding database to include a forwarding entry for the egress NE, wherein the forwarding entry includes the PPR-ID, the anycast PPR-ID, and the anycast group PPR-ID, and wherein the forwarding entry indicates a next element on the PPR graph by which to forward an anycast data packet comprising the anycast PPR-ID.