SD-WAN Path Selection Using SLA Feedback for Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing path selection methods in SD-WANs fail to consistently meet service level agreement (SLA) requirements due to variations in network characteristics like jitter, packet loss, and delay, leading to suboptimal data transmission and potential SLA violations.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates metadata indicating the selected path and timestamp for data packets, allowing edge devices to assess path metrics and adjust path selection based on SLA requirements, ensuring only optimal paths are used for load balancing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple paths are used for load balancing, then bandwidth utilization is improved, but service level agreement consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters used for path selection from static cost metrics to dynamic performance metrics including jitter, packet loss, and delay. By continuously monitoring these parameters and adjusting path selection based on current network conditions, the system maintains SLA consistency while utilizing multiple paths for load balancing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where path performance metrics are continuously measured and fed back to the path selection logic. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt to changing network conditions in real-time, ensuring that only paths meeting SLA requirements are selected, thus maintaining reliability while distributing traffic across multiple paths.
2Productivity
If equal cost multi-path routing is used, then load distribution is improved, but path quality variation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from using static cost parameters (such as hop count) to dynamic quality parameters (jitter, packet loss, delay) for path evaluation. This allows the system to distribute load across multiple paths while ensuring each path meets minimum quality thresholds, thereby maintaining both load distribution and path quality consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the path selection process dynamic by continuously monitoring network conditions and adjusting path choices in real-time. Instead of static ECMP routing, the system dynamically selects paths based on current performance metrics, ensuring that load distribution does not compromise path quality consistency.
3Reliability
If dynamic path selection is implemented, then service level agreement compliance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service mechanism where the network infrastructure automatically monitors its own performance metrics and makes autonomous path selection decisions. By embedding monitoring and decision-making capabilities directly in the network devices, the system achieves SLA compliance without requiring complex external control systems, thus managing complexity through self-management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal path selection framework that can handle multiple types of traffic and apply to various network configurations. By designing a multi-functional system that can evaluate different path metrics and adapt to different SLA requirements, the patent achieves broad SLA compliance while avoiding the need for separate complex systems for each specific case.
4Manufacturing precision
If path monitoring is enhanced, then quality of experience is improved, but data processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential performance metrics (jitter, packet loss, delay) needed for path selection from the full stream of network data. By selectively monitoring and extracting only the relevant quality indicators rather than processing all network traffic data, the system improves QoE assessment while minimizing data processing overhead and energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided herein for optimizing path selection for use in load balancing operations. The techniques may comprise receiving a data packet directed to a receiving edge device and selecting a path (e.g., an IPSEC tunnel) to be used to transmit the data packet. The set of paths may be selected based on service level agreement requirements for the data packet. The techniques may further comprise appending, to the data packet, metadata including an indication of the selected path and a current time, and transmitting the data packet to the receiving edge device over the selected path, wherein the receiving edge device is caused to generate information about the selected path based on the metadata. The techniques may further comprise receiving, from the receiving edge device, the information about the selected path, and updating path data stored in local memory based on that information.