UMC Server Packet Path Detection via Feature Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting packet forwarding paths in networks are incomplete and inaccurate, as they rely on Time To Live (TTL) expiration mechanisms that can't provide complete paths due to security constraints and can't differentiate between control and data planes, leading to incomplete and discontinuous path information.
Innovation Solution
A Unified Management Center (UMC) server distributes a target packet feature to forwarding devices, which extract and transmit path information based on this feature, allowing the UMC server to calculate and obtain a complete forwarding path, including time delays, by synchronizing clocks and generating network topologies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If TTL expiration mechanism is used for path detection, then path tracing can be performed, but the path information is incomplete and discontinuous due to security constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a UMC server as an intermediary component that collects path information from multiple forwarding devices and synthesizes complete path traces. This mediator aggregates partial path information that would otherwise be incomplete or discontinuous, resolving the contradiction between security constraints and path information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges path information from multiple forwarding devices into a unified complete path trace. By combining partial path segments collected from different network nodes through the UMC server, the system reconstructs complete forwarding paths that overcome the limitations of individual TTL-based detection methods.
2Ease of operation
If control and data planes are not differentiated, then simple detection can be performed, but path information is inaccurate due to inability to distinguish packet types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating handling of control plane packets versus data plane packets at forwarding devices. Each plane is processed with appropriate path information extraction rules, ensuring that control packets (which carry path trace information) are distinguished from regular data packets, thereby improving measurement precision while maintaining operational clarity.
3Loss of information
If path information is collected from multiple forwarding devices, then complete paths can be obtained, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the path detection function into distributed components at forwarding devices and a central aggregation function at the UMC server. Each forwarding device independently extracts path information from local packets, then the UMC server segments and synthesizes these partial results into complete paths. This segmentation reduces individual device complexity while achieving overall system completeness.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of detecting a packet forwarding path, UMC servers and non-transitory machine-readable storage mediums are provided. In one aspect, a UMC server distributes a target packet feature pre-configured by a user to a plurality of forwarding devices managed by the UMC server, wherein the target packet feature is a feature of a target packet; receives respective path information transmitted by forwarding devices within the forwarding devices managed by the UMC server, wherein the respective path information is extracted by the forwarding devices from the target packet determined based on the target packet feature; and obtains a forwarding path corresponding to the target packet based on the path information transmitted by the forwarding devices.