Sliced Tunnels for Bandwidth and Complexity Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current path computation methods for tunnels in computer networks often require multiple tunnels to satisfy bandwidth constraints, leading to increased complexity and maintenance burdens, especially when multiple parallel links are available, and struggle with efficiently utilizing these links and maintaining backup tunnels.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of sliced tunnels, where fork nodes furcate the tunnel into child tunnels and merge nodes combine them, allowing for dynamic bandwidth distribution across multiple paths and reducing the number of tunnels needed by utilizing a single path with multiple child tunnels to meet bandwidth requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple tunnels are established to satisfy bandwidth constraints, then bandwidth requirements are met, but device complexity and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a single tunnel into multiple child tunnels by introducing fork nodes that divide the parent tunnel into several child tunnels. Each child tunnel can utilize different parallel links while collectively satisfying the bandwidth constraint. This segmentation allows the system to meet bandwidth requirements without establishing multiple independent tunnels, thereby reducing device complexity and maintenance burden.
2Productivity
If multiple tunnels are created to utilize parallel links, then link utilization improves, but maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple child tunnels back into a single parent tunnel at merge nodes. This merging mechanism allows the system to utilize multiple parallel links through child tunnels while maintaining a unified parent tunnel structure for simplified management. The merge nodes combine traffic from multiple child tunnels, enabling efficient link utilization without requiring separate maintenance of multiple independent tunnels.
3Reliability
If a single backup tunnel is computed, then bandwidth protection is provided, but adaptability to diverse failure scenarios is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation to backup tunnels by creating multiple child backup tunnels from a parent backup tunnel. Each child backup tunnel can protect against different failure scenarios and utilize different path segments. This segmented approach provides bandwidth protection while enhancing adaptability to diverse failure scenarios, as the system can selectively activate appropriate child backup tunnels based on the specific failure condition.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a sliced tunnel is signaled between a head-end node and a tail-end node. One or more fork nodes along the sliced tunnel are configured to furcate the sliced tunnel into a plurality of child tunnels of the sliced tunnel. Also, one or more merge nodes along the sliced tunnel are configured to merge a plurality of child tunnels of the sliced tunnel that intersect at the merge node.