Quantized Congestion Notification in Virtual Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtual networking systems, translation gateways between different packet formats act as communication bottlenecks, impacting performance due to incompatibility with encapsulation types, leading to inefficient congestion notification and management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for quantized congestion notification (QCN) that tags packet flows with congestion notification tags, maps packet flows to tunnel endpoints, and generates messages with virtual congestion point identifiers to address congestion points, allowing for efficient distribution of congestion notifications across virtual networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If translation gateways are used to translate between different packet formats, then compatibility with different encapsulation types is improved, but communication performance deteriorates due to bottlenecks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the translation gateway function from the network path by implementing congestion notification directly at the virtual switch and endpoint levels. This removes the bottleneck caused by translation gateways while maintaining compatibility through standardized congestion notification mechanisms that work across different encapsulation types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces congestion notification tags and standardized congestion points as intermediaries between different encapsulation types. These intermediaries enable direct communication and congestion management without requiring translation gateways, thus maintaining compatibility while improving performance.
2Measurement precision
If congestion notification messages are generated for each congestion point, then congestion management precision is improved, but message distribution complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments congestion notification into standardized messages associated with specific congestion points, each carrying identification information. This segmentation enables precise congestion identification while simplifying distribution through modular, standardized message formats that can be independently processed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of congestion notification from generic to specific by incorporating congestion point identification information into standardized messages. This parameter change enables precise congestion management while the standardization reduces distribution complexity through consistent message formats.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention provide a method for quantized congestion notification in a virtual networking system comprising multiple virtual networks (VNs). Each VN comprises at least one virtual machine (VM) configured to generate one or more packet flows. Each packet of each packet flow is tagged with a congestion notification (CN) tag. Each packet flow is mapped to a corresponding virtual tunnel end point (TEP) that distributes each packet of the packet flow. A congestion notification message (CNM) is generated for each congestion point (CP) associated with each packet flow. Each CP is mapped to a corresponding TEP that distributes each CNM for the CP, wherein the corresponding VTEP forwards the CNM to a VM contributing to packet congestion at the CP.