TCP Gateway Aggregation for Autonomous System Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computer networks, the existing methods for communicating TCP data segments across autonomous systems are limited by the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) of individual connections, leading to reduced bandwidth and increased network load, as data is transmitted in smaller segments over multiple connections rather than utilizing the higher MTU available in gateway connections.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a TCP gateway connection that aggregates multiple TCP data segments from different connections into a single coalesced segment, using Autonomous System Boundary Routers (ASBRs) to add connection identifiers, transmit the aggregated segment over a higher MTU network pipe, and then demultiplex it back into individual segments for their original destinations, along with a cumulative acknowledgement mechanism to reduce acknowledgement messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If TCP data segments are transmitted over multiple dedicated TCP connections, then connection reliability is maintained, but bandwidth is reduced and network load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple TCP data segments from different connections into a single aggregated segment that is transmitted over one TCP gateway connection. This combining operation allows the system to maintain reliability through connection tracking while achieving higher bandwidth utilization by avoiding the fragmentation overhead of multiple separate transmissions.
2Reliability
If TCP data segments are transmitted over multiple dedicated TCP connections, then connection reliability is maintained, but network load increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple TCP data segments are merged into a single aggregated segment, reducing the number of individual packet transmissions across the network. This decreases network load by consolidating multiple smaller packets into one larger segment that traverses the network infrastructure fewer times.
Solution Approach 2:
The ASBR (Autonomous System Boundary Router) acts as an intermediary that receives segments from multiple connections, aggregates them, and transmits the consolidated segment through the TCP gateway connection. This intermediary function reduces network load by centralizing the aggregation operation at the gateway rather than having multiple parallel transmission paths.
3Productivity
If TCP data segments are transmitted over a TCP gateway connection with higher MTU, then bandwidth is improved, but data segmentation and aggregation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ASBR performs preliminary actions by maintaining connection flow information tables that track the state of multiple TCP connections before aggregation occurs. This pre-established tracking mechanism simplifies the aggregation process by providing ready-to-use metadata about connection states, reducing the complexity of real-time segmentation and reassembly operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the ASBR continuously monitors connection flow information and adjusts aggregation decisions based on this feedback. The cumulative acknowledgement mechanism provides feedback about received segments, enabling the system to manage complexity through informed control decisions about which segments to aggregate and when.
Data Source
AI summary
The techniques include communicating a plurality of TCP data segments from different TCP connections as a single TCP data segment via a TCP gateway connection. For example, network host devices of autonomous systems may ordinarily transfer TCP data segments across dedicated TCP connections. An Autonomous System Boundary Router (ASBR) on one end of the TCP gateway connection may intercept TCP data segments from different TCP connections and may append the TCP data segments as a single appended TCP data segment and communicated via the TCP gateway connection. An ASBR on the other end of the TCP gateway connection may separate TCP data segments from the appended TCP data segment and determine, based on connection flow information, the TCP connections associated with each of the separated TCP data segments. The ASBR may then forward the separated TCP data segments to their original destinations.