Router-Switch Architecture for Scalable Petabit Capacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current telecommunication networks face inefficiencies due to a high number of hops in packet-switched networks, leading to cumulative degradation, and struggle to scale capacity from gigabits to petabits while accommodating varying connection granularities, resulting in a cluttered network with increased complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A router-switch architecture comprising multiple switch units and memory devices, organized into combinations with temporal multiplexers and demultiplexers, and rotating-access memory devices, which enable contention-free data paths and scalable capacity through a distributed control system, allowing for efficient data routing and aggregation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple switching en route is employed to economize transport links, then network capacity utilization is improved, but the number of hops increases leading to cumulative degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The network is segmented into hierarchical levels with core router-switches handling high-capacity traffic and access router-switches handling local connections. This segmentation allows traffic to be routed through fewer hops at the core while maintaining local optimization at access points, thus improving service quality while preserving capacity utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
Core router-switches act as intermediaries between access router-switches, consolidating traffic flows and reducing the number of hops required for data to travel between different network segments. This intermediary function eliminates cumulative degradation while maintaining efficient capacity utilization.
2Reliability
If router-switch dimension is increased to reduce number of hops, then service quality is improved, but network complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network is divided into hierarchical levels with standardized access router-switches and core router-switches. Each level has defined functions and capacities, avoiding the need for uniformly large complex switches throughout the network. This segmentation reduces overall network complexity while maintaining low hop counts through efficient core routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The network architecture transitions from a flat topology to a hierarchical three-dimensional structure with access, core, and aggregation layers. This dimensional organization allows traffic to be routed efficiently through the core layer with minimal hops, while local complexity is contained at access points, reducing overall network complexity.
3Productivity
If router-switch capacity is scaled to petabit per second, then network bandwidth is improved, but accommodation of varying connection granularities becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Access router-switches are designed with capabilities tailored to local connection requirements, supporting a range of granularities from individual user connections to aggregated flows. Core router-switches focus on high-capacity backbone routing. This local quality differentiation allows the network to accommodate varying connection granularities while achieving petabit-scale aggregate bandwidth.
Solution Approach 2:
The router-switch architecture employs dynamic resource allocation and flexible switching capabilities that can adapt connection granularities in real-time. Traffic flows can be dynamically aggregated or segmented based on current network conditions and connection requirements, allowing the system to maintain versatility while scaling to petabit capacities.
Data Source
AI summary
A scalable router-switch that grows from a capacity of a few gigabits per second to hundreds of terabits per second is disclosed. In one embodiment, the router-switch comprises a plurality of switch units arranged in a plurality of combinations. Within each combination, each switch unit cyclically connects to each other switch unit to form a contention-free temporal mesh. Each switch unit belongs to a number of combinations and any two combinations have at most one switch unit in common. The router-switch further includes a distributed-control system which comprises an outer controller associated with each of the switch units and an inner controller associated with each combination. The structural simplicity significantly simplifies the operation and control of the router-switch.