Ring Server Network with Integrated Routing, Switching, and Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

High availability networks require significant space, power, and cooling resources due to the use of top-of-rack switches, increasing costs and maintenance complexity, while existing solutions to improve reliability often exacerbate these issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing network hardware components (NHCs) with integrated routing, switching, and encryption capabilities in a ring configuration, eliminating the need for ToR switches and offloading routing and encryption functions from servers, thereby reducing the reliance on server processing resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If top-of-rack switches are used to improve network reliability, then network availability is improved, but space, power, and cooling resources are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork availabilityVSAvoidspace resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines routing, switching, and encryption functionalities into a single network hardware component (NHC) that integrates multiple previously separate functions. This merging eliminates the need for separate top-of-rack switches while maintaining network reliability through the ring configuration topology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The NHC is designed as a multi-functional device that performs routing, switching, and encryption/decryption operations. This universal component replaces the specialized top-of-rack switches, aggregation switches, and server-based routing functions, reducing overall infrastructure requirements while maintaining high availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If top-of-rack switches are deployed to ensure high availability, then network reliability is improved, but power and cooling requirements are increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork availabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

By consolidating routing, switching, and encryption functions into the NHC, the patent eliminates the need for additional power-consuming top-of-rack switches. The ring configuration provides redundancy without requiring extra powered devices, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining high availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If routing functionality is implemented on servers, then network routing is achieved, but server processing resources are taxed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverouting capabilityVSAvoidserver processing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts routing functionality from the server and implements it in the dedicated NHC. This separation allows servers to focus on their primary computing tasks while the NHC handles network routing, switching, and encryption operations, thereby eliminating the tax on server processing resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If encryption functionality is added to servers, then data security is improved, but server processing overhead is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidserver processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts encryption and decryption functionality from the server and implements it in the NHC. This allows servers to transmit data without performing computationally intensive encryption operations, thereby improving data security while reducing server processing overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

5Adaptability or versatility

If traditional network architecture with multiple components is used, then network functionality is achieved, but maintenance complexity is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork functionalityVSAvoidmaintenance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges routing, switching, and encryption functions into a single NHC component with a unified management plane. This consolidation simplifies maintenance by reducing the number of components that need to be managed individually, while the ring configuration maintains full network functionality and high availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250274387A1Ring Configured Server Network Architecture And Methodology

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

The technology is directed to methods and systems in which network hardware components and their associated functionality are incorporated into servers, the network hardware components functioning to couple the servers to one or more networks. The network hardware components include virtual routers and are configured to form a ring network that includes their respective servers and an aggregation switch. The routing capability provided via the network hardware components function within the network to advertise routes to each other and provide the aggregation switch access to pathways that can be used to deliver data packets to their destination without using other switches, e.g., a top of rack switch.