QoS Mapping Mechanism for TRILL Network Packet Encapsulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS) policies across TRILL networks is challenging due to differences in QoS levels used by various customer networks, which can lead to inconsistent packet processing and potential delays in applications like video conferencing.
Innovation Solution
A QoS mapping mechanism that maps a first set of QoS bits from customer packets to a normalized set of QoS bits within a TRILL network, allowing the service provider to encapsulate and decapsulate packets while preserving the original QoS information, enabling consistent end-to-end QoS policies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different QoS levels are used in customer networks, then customer networks can have flexibility in their QoS policies, but QoS consistency across the TRILL network deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a QoS mapping mechanism that acts as an intermediary between customer networks with different QoS levels and the TRILL network. The mapping mechanism translates various customer QoS levels into a normalized set of QoS levels that the TRILL network can consistently process, thereby maintaining QoS consistency across the network while preserving customer flexibility in defining their own QoS policies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the QoS parameter representation by mapping different QoS bit formats and priority levels from customer networks to a standardized QoS parameter set. This parameter transformation allows the TRILL network to handle diverse QoS requirements uniformly, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and consistency
2Stability of the object's composition
If QoS bits are normalized within the TRILL network, then QoS processing consistency is improved, but the ability to preserve original customer QoS information deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where the original customer packet with its original QoS bits is encapsulated within a TRILL packet. The QoS mapping mechanism creates an outer TRILL packet with normalized QoS bits for consistent processing, while preserving the inner original packet structure. This nesting allows both normalized processing and original information preservation to coexist
Solution Approach 2:
The QoS mapping mechanism creates a copy of the QoS information in two forms: the original QoS bits are preserved in the encapsulated packet, while a mapped/normalized version is created in the outer TRILL packet header. This copying approach ensures that normalized processing can occur without losing the original QoS information
3Reliability
If QoS mapping is implemented at the ingress switch, then end-to-end QoS policy enforcement is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the QoS mapping mechanism to be a universal function that can handle multiple customer QoS formats and priority schemes through a single mapping table or algorithm. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple specialized processing paths, thereby reducing the actual complexity increase at the ingress switch while maintaining reliable end-to-end QoS enforcement
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for processing and/or forwarding packets are described. An ingress switch can use a QoS mapping mechanism to map a first set of Quality of Service (QoS) bits in a packet received from a customer to a second set of QoS bits for use in a Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) packet which encapsulates the packet. The first set of QoS bits can be different from the second set of QoS bits. The TRILL packet can be processed and/or forwarded in the network based on the second set of QoS bits. At the egress switch, the TRILL packet can be decapsulated and the original packet with the original QoS bits (or QoS bits that are different from the original QoS bits) can be forwarded to the customer's network. In this manner, some embodiments of the present invention can preserve the QoS bits across a TRILL network.