TRM Flow Path Tracing Across Overlay and Underlay Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multicast-based networks, particularly Tenant Routed Multicast (TRM) networks, are complex and challenging to monitor and debug due to the added complexity of the BGP EVPN control plane, making path traceability and debugging difficult, especially with encapsulation and decapsulation processes involved.
Innovation Solution
A flow state analyzer is implemented to provide end-to-end path traceability and auto-debuggability for TRM traffic flows, using a network management service that generates merged flow data records to visualize and validate the tenant and underlay paths, enabling proactive and reactive monitoring and debugging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If TRM network with BGP EVPN control plane is implemented, then multicast forwarding capability is improved, but network complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex TRM network monitoring task into distinct components: path tracing module, flow record generation module, and debuggability module. Each component handles specific aspects of network monitoring, making the overall system more manageable despite the underlying network complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that generates and correlates flow records between tenant overlay networks and underlay networks. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of BGP EVPN control plane operations, providing a simplified view for monitoring and debugging while maintaining full multicast forwarding capability.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If path traceability is enhanced in TRM networks, then debugging capability is improved, but time and resources required for monitoring increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating flow records that capture path information at key network points. These flow records are prepared in advance and can be quickly correlated when debugging is needed, eliminating the need for time-consuming real-time path tracing during incident response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates copies of flow information in multiple formats and locations (tenant flow records, underlay flow records, correlated flow records). These copies enable rapid debugging by providing pre-prepared data that can be immediately analyzed without querying the actual network paths during troubleshooting.
3Measurement precision
If end-to-end visibility is provided for tenant and underlay paths, then network monitoring quality is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges tenant overlay flow records with underlay network flow records into correlated flow records. This merging process combines information from multiple sources to provide complete end-to-end visibility while presenting a unified, simplified view that masks the underlying complexity of monitoring both overlay and underlay networks separately.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods are provided for path tracing and visibility for tenant routed multicast (TRM) flows including validating the TRM flows based on path tracing on various layers including overlay and underlay. Specifically, the methods involve obtaining at least one tenant flow data record for a tenant routed multicast traffic flow that traverses from a source, along a path in a network, to at least one destination. The at least one tenant flow data record includes underlay encapsulation information and tenant information. The methods further involve generating a merged flow data record in which the tenant information of a tenant incoming interface flow record is mapped to the underlay encapsulation information based on the at least one tenant flow data record and providing an end-to-end visibility of the path traversed by the tenant routed multicast traffic flow including a tenant path and an underlay path based on the merged flow data record.