Traffic Management Device Session Persistence in IMS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) architectures face challenges in managing workload across application servers due to the connectionless nature of protocols like UDP, leading to ineffective routing of SIP messages and complications in allocating workload.
Innovation Solution
A Traffic Management Device (TMD) is introduced to perform deep packet inspections of network response packets, identifying session identifiers to ensure persistence across application servers, using a TMD persist table to map session identifiers to application servers, enabling effective load balancing and session management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional proxy servers are used to route SIP messages in IMS architecture, then network communication can be established, but effective routing and workload allocation across application servers cannot be achieved due to the connectionless nature of UDP
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a persistence module as an intermediary component between the proxy server and application servers. This module interceptes SIP messages, extracts session identifiers, and determines the appropriate application server based on session persistence rules. The intermediary resolves the routing problem by adding intelligence to the otherwise connectionless UDP-based SIP messaging system, enabling reliable workload allocation without requiring fundamental changes to the underlying protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing session persistence rules and maintaining a mapping between session identifiers and application servers. When a SIP message arrives, the persistence module has already prepared the routing decision based on the session identifier extracted from the message. This preliminary processing enables efficient workload allocation without requiring complex real-time negotiations between clients and servers.
2Productivity
If load balancing is implemented across multiple application servers, then system capacity is increased, but session persistence and message routing to the same server become complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the session persistence logic from the complex load balancing mechanism. By isolating the session identifier extraction and server determination functions into a dedicated persistence module, the system simplifies session management while maintaining multi-server capability. The persistence module handles session tracking independently, allowing the load balancer to focus on distributing new sessions across available servers without worrying about maintaining session state.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the message routing function into distinct components: the persistence module that handles session identifier extraction and server determination, and the load balancing module that distributes new sessions. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its function, reducing overall system complexity while enabling both session persistence and effective load balancing across multiple application servers.
3Ease of operation
If traditional routing methods are used for SIP messages, then message delivery is possible, but effective workload allocation across application servers is ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The persistence module implements feedback by monitoring the destination application server information contained in SIP messages and using this information to make intelligent routing decisions. The module extracts session identifiers from incoming messages, determines which application server should handle the session based on persistence rules, and routes the message accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables effective workload allocation while maintaining simple message delivery operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed towards managing persistence of network traffic using deep packet inspections of network response packets from an application server. In one embodiment, the network packets are associated with SIP messages. A traffic management device (TMD) interposed between client devices and a plurality of application servers receives messages from the client device and/or the application servers. The TMD performs a deep packet inspection to determine if a defined key value pair that includes a session identifier is detected. If so, and the message is from the application server, the session identifier is then mapped to an application server identifier to persistently refer each subsequent inbound packet from a client device having the same session identifier to the application server mapped to the session identifier.