Selective Packet Filter for TRILL Link Bandwidth Conservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inefficiencies in interconnections between network implementations, such as local area networks (LANs) and TRILL campus networks, lead to wasted bandwidth due to unnecessary packet transmission across network links.
Innovation Solution
An information handling system with a selective packet filter and control plane unit, utilizing a VLAN profile database and snooping table, designates a VLAN forwarder to prevent duplicate packet transmission by applying masks to packets destined for non-forwarding RBridges, ensuring packets are only forwarded to the designated VLAN forwarder, thereby conserving link bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packets are transmitted to all routing bridges in the TRILL network, then all bridges can receive and process VLAN traffic, but bandwidth is wasted due to duplicate packet transmission to non-forwarding bridges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the forwarding behavior of routing bridges based on their designated roles. The VLAN forwarding bridge is assigned the specific quality of forwarding VLAN traffic, while other routing bridges are assigned the quality of dropping VLAN traffic. This localized differentiation eliminates unnecessary packet transmission to non-forwarding bridges, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining reliable VLAN traffic delivery through the designated forwarder
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the TRILL network into distinct functional groups: VLAN forwarding bridges and non-VLAN forwarding bridges. By segmenting the network based on forwarding role, the system can apply different packet handling rules to different segments. VLAN-tagged packets are segmented into a separate forwarding path that goes only to the designated VLAN forwarder, preventing unnecessary transmission to other bridges and conserving bandwidth
2Loss of energy
If a VLAN forwarding bridge is designated to forward all VLAN traffic, then bandwidth is conserved by preventing duplicate transmissions, but network complexity increases due to bridge designation and packet masking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-designating specific routing bridges as VLAN forwarding bridges before VLAN traffic arrives. The bridge designation is established in advance through configuration or election mechanisms, and the snooping tables are pre-populated with forwarding information. When VLAN-tagged packets arrive, the designated forwarder is already ready to handle them, eliminating the need for complex real-time decision-making and reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces snooping tables as an intermediary mechanism that simplifies the forwarding decision process. Instead of requiring complex real-time analysis of which bridges should receive packets, the snooping tables pre-store forwarding information and bridge designations. This intermediary structure mediates between incoming packets and the forwarding bridges, automatically routing packets to the correct designated forwarder and reducing the complexity of packet handling logic
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes systems and methods for providing link bandwidth conservation between a local area network and a TRILL campus network. Such an information handling system includes a plurality of processing modules provided by a computer processor where the plurality of processing modules including a selective packet filter and a control plane unit and memory in communication with the plurality of processing modules. The memory stores a VLAN port bitmap and a snooping table. The information handling system also has a plurality of ports, which includes at least one Ethernet port for connecting the information handling device to a LAN and a plurality of bridging ports for connecting the information handling device to a plurality of routing bridges.