Hierarchical Rulebase Partitioning for Packet Classification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional packet classification methods face scalability issues with large rulebases, leading to increased search time and reduced classifier speed due to the need for serial comparison of packet header fields against numerous rules, especially as internet traffic diversifies and rulebases grow.
Innovation Solution
A packet classification method using hierarchical rulebase partitioning and diverse hash key algorithms to efficiently partition the rulebase into smaller sub-rulebases, allowing for faster search through hash tables, thereby reducing the search time and improving scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the rulebase size is increased to handle diverse internet traffic, then the classification capability is improved, but the search time increases and classifier speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large rulebase into multiple smaller sub-rulebases using hierarchical partitioning. The rulebase is segmented into top-level partitions and then further divided into finer sub-partitions, allowing the classifier to search only relevant subsets rather than the entire rulebase, thus reducing search time while maintaining classification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the rulebase structure by creating multiple levels of partitioning. Instead of a flat single-level structure, the rulebase is organized into parent-child relationships across different hierarchical levels, enabling efficient navigation and reducing the search space from O(N) to O(log N) or better.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the rulebase size is increased to handle diverse internet traffic, then the classification capability is improved, but the classifier speed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the rulebase into smaller sub-rulebases, the patent reduces the number of rules that need to be examined for each packet classification. The classifier can quickly identify and search only the relevant sub-rulebase, maintaining high speed even as the overall rulebase grows to handle diverse traffic types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary partitioning of the rulebase into a hierarchical structure before classification operations. This pre-processing creates an optimized search structure that enables fast lookup during actual packet classification, separating the overhead of rulebase organization from the time-critical packet processing.
3Ease of manufacture
If serial comparison method is used for packet classification, then the implementation simplicity is maintained, but the search efficiency decreases with large rulebases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the rulebase into a hierarchical structure that can be implemented using simple comparison operations at each level. While the overall structure is more complex than flat serial comparison, each individual comparison step remains simple, and the segmentation dramatically improves search efficiency by reducing the number of comparisons needed from O(N) to O(log N).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional serial comparison approach to a multi-dimensional hierarchical structure. This adds a hierarchical dimension to the search process, enabling efficient pruning of search spaces while maintaining relatively simple comparison operations at each node of the hierarchy.
Data Source
AI summary
A packet classification method through hierarchical rulebase partitioning. The packet classification method for searching for a rule having a highest priority and matching among a plurality of rules included in a specified rulebase with respect to a packet input from an external network and processing the packet according to the searched rule. The method includes: a preprocessing step of partitioning the rulebase into a plurality of independent sub-rulebases based on a specified condition and producing a hash table on the basis of the sub-rulebases; and a classification step of classifying the packet by searching the hash table using a hash key extracted from a packet header of the inputted packet and mapping the packet on the sub-rulebase corresponding to the packet.