Route Reflector BGP Negative Acknowledgement for Mobile Host Failure

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Solution Overview

Problem

In secure communication networks, the inability to receive Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) messages due to ICMP message disabling or filtering hinders the detection of endpoint failures, leading to increased network load and battery drain in mobile devices as they repeatedly attempt to connect, causing delays and poor user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) rerouting mechanism with a route reflector network element that sends a negative acknowledgement to mobile devices, allowing them to redirect data to alternative hosts sharing the same address, using a security certificate or encryption key for authentication, and enabling maintenance during idle states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ICMP messages are disabled or filtered to prevent denial of service attacks, then network security is improved, but the ability to detect endpoint failures is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork securityVSAvoidendpoint failure detection
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a route reflector as an intermediary network element that mediates between mobile devices and hosts. The route reflector receives data packets, determines host availability using BGP routing information, and sends negative acknowledgments to mobile devices when hosts are unavailable. This intermediary approach allows failure detection without requiring ICMP messages, thus maintaining network security while enabling endpoint failure detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If mobile devices repeatedly transmit data to failed hosts, then connection reliability is maintained, but network load increases and battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidbattery life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the route reflector sends negative acknowledgments to mobile devices when hosts are determined to be unavailable. This feedback allows mobile devices to stop transmitting data to failed hosts, preventing unnecessary energy consumption and network load, while maintaining connection reliability by redirecting traffic to available hosts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The route reflector performs preliminary actions by determining host availability before mobile devices transmit data. Using BGP routing information, the route reflector proactively identifies unavailable hosts and sends negative acknowledgments to mobile devices in advance, preventing mobile devices from wasting energy on transmissions to failed hosts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If mobile devices transmit multiple packets to verify host availability, then connection reliability is improved, but data transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The route reflector performs preliminary availability checks using BGP routing information before mobile devices transmit data packets. This preliminary action provides immediate failure detection without requiring mobile devices to send multiple verification packets, thus maintaining connection reliability while minimizing data transmission delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2249548B1A route reflector for a communication system
Publication Date: 2013.02.20 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2249548B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2249548B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2249548B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method, system and apparatus for routing of data transmitted from a mobile electronic device to a first host of a plurality of hosts in a communication network using a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is provided. It is determined that the first host has failed via receipt of BGP rerouted data at least one network element, the BGP rerouted data originally intended for the first host. A negative acknowledgement (NACK) is transmitted to the mobile electronic device from the at least one network element, the NACK enabled to trigger the mobile electronic device to transmit data that was to be transmitted to the first host to another of the plurality of hosts and wherein the NACK is identifiable by the mobile electronic device as having been transmitted by the at least one network element.