Switch Frame Traffic Balancing Across Trunk Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fibre Channel compliant protocols face issues with frame traffic congestion and underutilization of available paths due to 'in-order' delivery requirements, which limit the even distribution of frame traffic across available paths.
Innovation Solution
Implementing trunking using logical ports instead of physical ports, where a pseudo-random process or weight-based methods are applied to select egress ports, ensuring even distribution of frame traffic across available paths while maintaining 'in-order' delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If frame traffic is allocated to a single available path or subset of paths to ensure in-order delivery, then delivery order is maintained, but traffic congestion increases and path utilization becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the single logical port into multiple physical ports within a trunk group. Frames are distributed across multiple physical paths by selecting different physical ports from the trunk group, enabling parallel traffic flow while maintaining logical port abstraction. This segmentation allows traffic to be spread across multiple paths without compromising in-order delivery at the logical level.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a new dimension to path selection by introducing trunk groups that span multiple physical ports. Instead of selecting from a single port, the system now selects from multiple physical ports within a trunk group, creating an additional dimension for traffic distribution. This enables even distribution across available paths while maintaining in-order delivery through the logical port abstraction.
2Productivity
If multiple physical ports are used for trunking to distribute traffic, then path utilization improves, but port selection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a copy or abstraction layer called logical ports that represent multiple physical ports. The port selection mechanism operates at the logical port level rather than directly managing individual physical ports. This copying approach simplifies the selection process by providing a unified interface while the underlying physical port distribution handles the complexity of multi-path routing.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of methods, apparatuses and/or systems for balancing flow across trunk groups are disclosed. For example, a method of routing a flow of frames may include receiving at least one frame; selecting an exit port of a switch for the at least one frame to exit based, at least in part, on balancing flow across trunk groups; and transmitting the at least one frame.