Satellite Controlling Bridge Architecture for Network Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
As communication networks grow in complexity and size, existing bridge architectures face challenges in efficiently managing and routing network data between network peers, leading to increased processing and routing overhead.
Innovation Solution
The satellite controlling bridge architecture selectively routes network data by maintaining a forwarding table that identifies recognized downstream network peers, allowing it to send data directly to these peers without forwarding it to the upstream controlling bridge, thereby reducing the computational load and table size of the controlling bridge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the controlling bridge manages all network data routing in a growing communication network, then the network maintains centralized control and simplicity in architecture, but the processing requirements and complexity of the controlling bridge increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the controlling bridge functionality into two segments: the original controlling bridge and new satellite controlling bridges. The satellite controlling bridges are deployed downstream to handle specific routing tasks for recognized network peers, segmenting the routing workload and reducing the processing burden on the main controlling bridge while maintaining network-wide routing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the bridge architecture by positioning satellite controlling bridges downstream of the main controlling bridge. This creates a multi-level routing structure where the main controlling bridge operates at the top level and satellite bridges operate at downstream levels, adding spatial dimensionality to the routing architecture to distribute processing loads.
2Loss of information
If the controlling bridge maintains a comprehensive forwarding table for all network peers, then complete routing information is available, but the table size and memory requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The forwarding table functionality is segmented between the main controlling bridge and satellite controlling bridges. Each satellite controlling bridge maintains its own forwarding table for recognized downstream network peers, while the main controlling bridge maintains forwarding information for peers not recognized by satellite bridges. This segmentation distributes the storage burden and reduces the size of individual forwarding tables while preserving complete routing information across the distributed system.
3Reliability
If all network data is forwarded to the upstream controlling bridge for routing decisions, then centralized routing control is maintained, but processing overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The satellite controlling bridges perform preliminary routing actions for recognized downstream network peers by making local routing decisions without requiring upstream controlling bridge intervention. This preliminary action eliminates unnecessary upstream forwarding for local traffic, reducing latency and processing overhead while maintaining centralized control for unrecognized peers through the main controlling bridge.
Solution Approach 2:
The satellite controlling bridges provide self-service routing capabilities for recognized network peers, handling their own routing decisions independently. This self-service mechanism allows local routing to occur autonomously at the satellite bridge level, reducing dependency on the upstream controlling bridge for every routing decision and thereby reducing processing overhead and latency.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method include a port extender communicatively linked to a controlling bridge. Network data is received from a local network peer downstream to the port extender. Whether a destination of the network data is a recognized downstream network peer of the port extender is determined. The network data is selectively routed according to whether the destination of the network data is a recognized downstream network peer of the port extender.