Programmable Switching ASIC for Traffic Scaling and Retransmission Emulation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing testing systems for data center environments fail to generate sufficient network traffic to adequately test for underperformance or security vulnerabilities, and they do not simulate realistic packet retransmissions in stateful transport layer protocols.
Innovation Solution
A programmable switching ASIC is used to receive and amplify network traffic flows, generate additional flows based on packet information, and emulate stateful transport layer protocols, including packet retransmissions, to simulate realistic network conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If external traffic generators are used to test data center environments, then testing capability is provided, but sufficient network traffic volume is not generated to adequately test for underperformance or security vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses packet capture and replay functionality to copy real network traffic patterns. The system captures packets from actual network flows and replays them through the device under test, creating sufficient traffic volume for adequate testing while maintaining realistic traffic characteristics that external generators cannot produce.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional testing systems generate network packets, then traffic is produced, but the packets are identical and fail to test with various types of traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures diverse real-world traffic patterns and replays them, ensuring packet variety. By copying actual network flows rather than generating synthetic packets, the system achieves both traffic diversity and sufficient quantity, allowing comprehensive testing with various traffic types that traditional generators cannot provide.
3Reliability
If testing systems send packets to devices, then basic connectivity is tested, but packet retransmissions in stateful transport layer protocols are not simulated
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures complete protocol sequences including retransmissions and replays them to devices under test. This copying approach preserves the stateful nature of transport layer protocols, enabling realistic simulation of packet retransmissions without requiring complex protocol emulation logic, as the behavior is replicated from actual captured traffic.
4Productivity
If a programmable switching ASIC amplifies traffic flows, then network traffic scaling is achieved, but the system must process and generate additional packet information
Solution Approach 1:
The programmable switching ASIC copies packet information from captured flows to generate amplified traffic. This copying mechanism enables high-speed traffic amplification without complex processing, as the system replicates existing packet patterns rather than generating new ones, achieving high productivity while maintaining manageable device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for scaling network traffic includes, at a programmable switching ASIC, receiving n traffic flows from at least one external traffic generator, n being an integer. The method further includes generating, by the programmable switching ASIC and using information from packets in the n traffic flows, m traffic flows, where m is an integer greater than n. The method further includes transmitting, by the programmable switching ASIC, the m traffic flows to a flow destination via device under test.