Hierarchical SD-WAN MPLS Labeling for Application Path Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional WAN architectures face challenges such as insufficient bandwidth, high bandwidth costs, application downtime, poor SaaS performance, complex operations, complex workflows for cloud connectivity, limited application visibility, and difficulty in securing the network, especially in an evolving enterprise network landscape with increased mobile and IoT device traffic and cloud adoption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a hierarchical software-defined networking (SD-WAN) with optimized application performance by receiving bandwidth metrics, compiling a link database, selecting a designated link path based on an application routing policy, and using multiprotocol label switching labels to restrict network traffic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional WAN architectures use MPLS paired with Internet or LTE links in active/backup fashion, then network reliability is improved, but bandwidth cost increases and application performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path selection where the system continuously monitors application performance metrics (latency, jitter, packet loss) and automatically switches between active/backup paths based on real-time conditions. This allows the network to adaptively optimize for both reliability and cost by selecting the best performing path for each application flow, rather than using static active/backup configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes routing parameters dynamically based on application requirements and network conditions. By monitoring performance metrics and adjusting path selection parameters in real-time, the system can optimize bandwidth utilization and reduce costs while maintaining reliability through automated failover when performance thresholds are violated.
2Reliability
If Internet or SaaS traffic is backhauled to a central data center or regional hub, then network security is improved, but latency increases and application performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic into different categories (e.g., SaaS traffic, cloud traffic, internet traffic) and applies different routing policies to each segment. SaaS and cloud traffic can be routed directly to SaaS providers or cloud data centers via optimized paths, while internet traffic requiring security policies is routed through the data center. This segmentation allows security requirements to be met without forcing all traffic through centralized hubs, thereby reducing latency for time-sensitive applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intelligent intermediary (SD-WAN controller) that sits between the network and applications, dynamically determining the optimal path for each traffic flow. This intermediary can direct traffic through security policies when needed while providing direct optimized paths for applications that don't require centralized security processing, thus balancing security requirements with performance needs.
3Ease of manufacture
If overlay tunnels directly connect SD-WAN edge routers, then deployment complexity is reduced, but scalability deteriorates in hierarchical networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the overlay architecture by adding intermediate SD-WAN routers between edge routers and the core data center. This creates a two-tier overlay structure where edge routers connect to regional intermediate routers, which then connect to the central data center. This dimensional change allows the network to scale by adding regional intermediaries without requiring every edge router to maintain direct connections to the core, thus improving scalability while maintaining deployment simplicity through standardized interface patterns.
4Productivity
If more bandwidth is allocated to support mobile and IoT device traffic, then application performance is improved, but bandwidth cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes bandwidth allocation parameters based on application performance requirements and network conditions. By monitoring metrics such as latency, jitter, and packet loss for mobile and IoT traffic, the system automatically adjusts bandwidth allocation to provide sufficient capacity for performance-critical applications while reducing allocation for less demanding traffic, thus optimizing the balance between application performance and bandwidth cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial bandwidth allocation where different applications receive different levels of bandwidth based on their performance requirements. Instead of allocating excessive bandwidth to all traffic uniformly, the system provides sufficient bandwidth only to applications that require it for proper operation, while allowing other applications to use available capacity, thus reducing overall bandwidth cost while maintaining performance for critical applications.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for receiving bandwidth metrics from a plurality of routers on respective link routes in a network, compiling a link database including the bandwidth metrics of each respective link route in the network, selecting a first designated link path from the link database between a first router and a second router based on an application routing policy, the application routing policy being based on a routing metric, providing a first multiprotocol label switching label based on the first designated link path to the first router of the plurality of routers in the network, and restricting network traffic of the first router to the first designated link path provided in the first multiprotocol label switching label.