Ring Control Data Exchange System Hashing

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Solution Overview

Problem

In ring configurations of information handling systems, the exchange of control data can lead to high network bandwidth utilization and hardware resource consumption, with issues like dropped control data packets due to processing constraints and communication congestion, particularly in VLT domains using the FRRP protocol.

Innovation Solution

A ring control data exchange system that identifies and hashes control data packets, generating hash values to consolidate and transmit only matching hash values, reducing the need to transmit duplicate packets and thereby lowering network bandwidth and hardware resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the master VLT switch device transmits control data packets at high frequency to maintain ring configuration, then the ring configuration reliability is improved, but network bandwidth utilization increases and control data packets are dropped due to processing constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvering configuration reliabilityVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple control data packets into a single aggregated packet for transmission. Instead of sending individual control data packets separately, the system merges them into one packet that contains multiple control data items, thereby reducing network bandwidth utilization while maintaining the reliability of ring configuration monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses hash values as simplified representations (copies) of the original control data packets. By transmitting hash values instead of the full control data packets, the system reduces the amount of data transmitted over the network while still enabling verification of control data integrity and detection of ring configuration changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If the master VLT switch device transmits control data packets at high frequency, then the ring configuration reliability is improved, but hardware resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvering configuration reliabilityVSAvoidhardware resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple control data packets into a single aggregated packet, reducing the number of transmission operations required. This consolidation decreases the utilization of hardware resources such as network interfaces, processors, and memory buffers while maintaining effective monitoring of the ring configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

By using hash values as compact representations of control data, the system reduces the processing burden on hardware resources. Hash values require less memory for storage and less bandwidth for transmission, thereby reducing overall hardware resource consumption while still enabling effective ring configuration monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of energy

If the hello message interval is increased to reduce control data transmission, then network bandwidth utilization is reduced, but ring convergence time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork bandwidth utilizationVSAvoidring convergence time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent aggregates multiple control data packets into fewer transmission events, allowing the system to maintain shorter hello message intervals without proportionally increasing network bandwidth utilization. This merging approach enables frequent monitoring (fast convergence) while keeping bandwidth usage low by sending consolidated packets rather than individual packets for each control data item.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

By transmitting hash values instead of full control data packets, the system reduces the size of each transmission. This allows the system to increase the frequency of hello messages (improving convergence time) without proportionally increasing bandwidth consumption, since each message contains only compact hash representations rather than full control data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS11108663B1Ring control data exchange system

Publication Date: 2021.08.31 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A ring control data exchange system includes a first networking device in a first datacenter and a second networking device in a second datacenter and in a ring configuration with the first networking device. The second networking device identifies first control data packets, performs a hashing operation on the first control data packets to generate respective first control data hash values, and transmits the first control data packets to the first networking device. Subsequently, the second networking device identifies second control data packets, performs the hashing operation on the second control data packets to generate respective second control data hash values, determines that the respective second control data hash values match the respective first control data hash values and, in response, generates and transmits a first consolidated control data hash value to the first networking device while not transmitting the second control data packets to the first networking device.