Segment Routing Context Embedding via Information Segments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for incorporating context information in segment routing networks face challenges such as difficulty in deployment on existing hardware, limited applicability to non-IP packets, and manageability issues due to flow state management by the network rather than the packet itself.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of information segments within the segment list, which allows context information to be encoded and preserved throughout the network path, enabling flexible encoding and easy adaptation on existing hardware without requiring new fields, and allowing context information to be used for flow-based routing without maintaining flow-based forwarding states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If NSH header is used to add context information to packets, then context information can be embedded in packets, but deployment on existing hardware becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet structure by inserting context information as separate information segments within the existing segment list, rather than requiring a completely new header structure. This allows existing hardware to process the segments individually without needing to support a new NSH header format, thus maintaining compatibility while enabling context information embedding.
Solution Approach 2:
The information segments can be processed by existing routing hardware that already handles segment lists, making the solution universally applicable to current infrastructure. The same hardware that processes routing segments can also process information segments, eliminating the need for specialized hardware support.
2Loss of information
If DiffServ protocol is used to embed context information, then packet classification is enabled, but applicability is limited to IP packets and available bits are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the segment list structure universal by allowing information segments to be inserted into the existing segment list format that is already used for routing. This same structure works for IP packets, L2 packets, and MPLS packets, providing multi-protocol support without requiring protocol-specific extensions.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on limited bits within existing IP header fields, the patent adds a new dimension to the packet structure by inserting information segments into the segment list. This extends the context information capacity beyond the constraints of traditional DiffServ bit fields while maintaining compatibility with existing packet formats.
3Loss of information
If context separation is used to split packets into different routing planes, then packet classification is improved, but manageability becomes difficult due to network-based flow state management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables packets to carry their own context information through information segments embedded in the segment list. This self-contained approach eliminates the need for complex network-based flow state management, as each packet independently carries its routing and context information, simplifying network management while maintaining effective packet classification.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure relates in one aspect to a networking device (100) for forwarding network packets (131, 132, 133) over a network by segment routing. The device (100) comprises a routing module configured to forward a network packet according to a segment list (111-114) incorporated into the network packet (131), and a logging module for adding context information to the network packet. The logging module is further configured to construct one or more information segments (115) comprising the context information and to insert the one or more information segments (115) into the segment list.