SDN SBC RTCP Packet Copying for QoS Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing SDN systems face challenges in generating and collecting Quality of Service (QoS) metrics without incurring media latency and media backhaul costs, particularly when dealing with RTCP packet streams, and require efficient methods to make dynamic routing decisions based on these metrics to optimize network utilization.
Innovation Solution
The system employs an SDN-enabled distributed Session Border Controller (SBC) to duplicate and forward RTCP packets to an SBC, allowing for QoS metric analysis without anchoring media sessions at an external node, using OpenFlow switches to program flow forwarding rules and optimize routing decisions in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If RTCP packets are forwarded to an external SBC for QoS metric collection, then QoS metrics can be collected, but media latency and media backhaul costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies packet copying by having OpenFlow switches create copies of RTCP packets and forward them to the SBC for QoS measurement, while the original packets continue their media flow to the destination. This copying mechanism enables QoS metric collection without requiring the media traffic itself to traverse additional paths, thus avoiding increased media latency and backhaul costs.
2Measurement precision
If RTCP packets are forwarded to an external SBC for QoS metric collection, then QoS metrics can be collected, but media backhaul costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses packet copying where only the RTCP control packets are duplicated and sent to the SBC for analysis, while the bulk media traffic continues directly between endpoints through OpenFlow switches. This selective copying of only necessary control packets for QoS measurement significantly reduces backhaul bandwidth requirements and associated costs compared to forwarding all media traffic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the RTCP control packets from the media stream for QoS metric collection, separating the measurement function from the media transport function. By taking out only the necessary control information rather than forwarding the entire media stream, the system minimizes backhaul bandwidth consumption and associated costs while still achieving accurate QoS measurement.
3Measurement precision
If media sessions are anchored at an external SBC, then QoS metrics can be collected, but network utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies packet copying to forward only RTCP packets to the SBC for QoS measurement, allowing the SBC to collect metrics without anchoring media sessions. The original media sessions continue their direct paths through OpenFlow switches, maintaining full network utilization efficiency while still enabling comprehensive QoS metric collection at the SBC for routing decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to communications methods, apparatus and systems for collecting metrics and/or traffic routing using SDN principles. In an exemplary method embodiment, the method includes the steps of: operating a SBC to: (i) receive a session initiation signal used to initiate a first media session; (ii) send to an SDN controller session identification information identifying a first RTCP packet stream corresponding to the first media session and causing said SDN controller to control a first open flow switch to establish an entry in a table to cause the first open flow switch to send a copy of the RTCP packets corresponding to the first RTCP packet stream to the SBC while also communicating the RTCP packets corresponding to the first RTCP packet stream towards the intended first RTCP packet stream destination.