Traffic Engineering Controller Delay Constraint Convexity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traffic engineering (TE) processes often increase packet delay due to multiple path possibilities, which can compromise network performance and quality of service (QoS) despite offering higher network capacity through multi-path routing and smart traffic splitting.
Innovation Solution
A traffic engineering controller determines a set of delay constraints, excludes non-convex constraints to produce convex constraints, and selects a path solution that meets these convex constraints, ensuring delay guarantees and improving network performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple path possibilities are used for traffic flow, then network capacity and throughput are improved, but packet delay increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the original non-convex delay constraints into convex constraints by changing the mathematical formulation parameters. This allows the traffic engineering system to efficiently compute path solutions that satisfy delay requirements while utilizing multiple paths for increased network capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent separates the traffic engineering problem into distinct components: identifying candidate paths, formulating delay constraints, converting to convex constraints, and selecting optimal paths. This segmentation enables systematic handling of the contradiction between using multiple paths and maintaining delay performance.
2Productivity
If multiple path possibilities are used for traffic flow, then load balancing is improved, but delay constraints become non-convex and harder to satisfy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mathematical parameters of the delay constraints from non-convex to convex form, making the optimization problem computationally tractable while still enabling multiple path selection for load balancing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the delay constraint formulation from the overall traffic engineering problem and treats it as a separate, solvable sub-problem. By isolating and transforming the constraints, the system can efficiently compute load-balanced paths without being overwhelmed by complexity.
3Reliability
If delay constraints are strictly enforced, then quality of service is improved, but network capacity utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming delay constraints into convex form, the patent enables the system to find optimal paths that satisfy QoS requirements while maximizing capacity utilization. The convex formulation allows efficient exploration of multiple paths to achieve both goals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic path selection that adapts to current network conditions. The convex constraint formulation allows the system to flexibly choose from multiple candidate paths, dynamically balancing QoS requirements with capacity utilization based on real-time conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for engineering traffic in a communications system includes determining a set of delay constraints associated with a traffic flow over the communications system, and excluding non-convex constraints from the set of delay constraints, thereby producing a set of convex constraints. The method also includes selecting a path solution for the traffic flow in accordance with the set of convex constraints, and sending information regarding the path solution to nodes in the communications system.