Traffic Engineering Link State Distribution for Protection Grade
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for processing Traffic Engineering (TE) links in networks fail to accurately reflect the operation state of TE links with protection attributes, leading to inadequate protection grade for service connections and inefficient rerouting in case of failures.
Innovation Solution
A method where network nodes acquire and distribute real-time operation state information of TE links, including normal, occupied, disconnected, unprotected, shared protection, and Dedicated 1:1 states, enabling the control plane to adjust LSP connections and reroute as needed to meet protection grade demands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional methods are used to process TE link information, then the network can establish basic LSP connections, but the actual operation state of TE links with protection attributes cannot be accurately described when fiber links fail
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the TE link state information by introducing separate state fields for different protection attribute types (Extra Service, Unprotected, Shared, Dedicated 1:1, Dedicated 1+1, Enhanced). Each protection attribute type has its own operation state indicator, allowing independent tracking of the operational status for each protection category. This segmentation enables precise description of which specific protection resources are affected by failures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by providing differentiated state information for different portions of the TE link based on their protection attributes. Instead of a single uniform state for the entire TE link, the system maintains separate state indicators for each protection attribute type, allowing nodes to determine the actual operational status of specific protection resources while maintaining a unified TE link structure.
2Loss of information
If conventional methods are used, then network nodes can distribute basic TE link information, but nodes cannot determine whether LSP protection grade is degraded due to failed links
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing a multi-functional state information structure that can represent multiple protection attribute types within a single TE link information framework. The same OSPF TE LSA mechanism is used to distribute both the protection attribute types and their corresponding operation states, allowing a single protocol extension to handle diverse protection scenarios without requiring separate protocols for each protection type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by embedding the operation state information within the existing TE link structure. The state information for each protection attribute type is nested within the TE link descriptor, which itself is nested within the OSPF TE LSA. This hierarchical nesting allows comprehensive state information to be distributed through the existing routing protocol infrastructure without requiring a completely new information distribution mechanism.
3Speed
If conventional failure processing methods are used, then the network can respond to TE link failures, but the response time and accuracy are insufficient for dynamic rerouting optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing the state information framework for all protection attribute types during normal operation. The network nodes continuously maintain and distribute up-to-date state information for each protection attribute type before failures occur. This allows the control plane to immediately determine the actual operational status and protection grade of existing LSPs when failures happen, enabling rapid rerouting decisions without time-consuming state assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously distributing TE link state information throughout the network using routing protocols. When operation states change due to failures or recovery, the updated state information is immediately propagated to all nodes. This real-time feedback mechanism enables the control plane to continuously monitor the actual protection grade of LSPs and dynamically optimize routing decisions to maintain required protection levels.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for processing information of a Traffic Engineering (TE) link mainly includes: acquiring at least one protection attribute type of a TE link and operation state information corresponding to each protection attribute type; and distributing the acquired at least one protection attribute type of a TE link and the operation state information corresponding to each protection attribute type in a network. With the method in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, a control plane is enabled to reflect a change in the operation state of resources of a TE link with a certain protection attribute in time, enabling the network to establish a service connection meeting a particular demand for protection grade according to the newest operation state of the resources of the TE link, or trigger a rerouting optimization processing for an existing service connection.