Virtual Ports for Ring Network Loop Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ring topology networks face inefficiencies due to loop formation and the need for redundant switches, which increases complexity, cost, and scalability issues, particularly in packet-based transport technologies like Ethernet, where existing protocols such as Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) have slow convergence times and require numerous links at connection points.
Innovation Solution
Implementing virtual ports within network nodes to manage ring ports, allowing for efficient loop prevention and redundancy without independently blocking individual ring ports, and using a common link to share connections between multiple ring networks, reducing the number of physical links required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is used to prevent loops in ring networks, then loop prevention is achieved, but convergence time increases to several seconds and network connectivity is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ring network into multiple spanning tree instances, each handling specific VLANs or traffic types independently. This allows faster convergence for individual segments rather than requiring the entire network to reconverge, reducing overall convergence time while maintaining loop prevention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary actions by pre-configuring alternative paths and pre-calculating spanning tree topologies before failures occur. When a link fails, the pre-computed alternative paths are immediately activated, avoiding the several-second convergence delay of traditional STP
2Reliability
If multiple aggregation switches are used at connection points to provide redundancy, then network reliability improves, but the number of required links increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes single links serve multiple functions by having them participate in multiple spanning tree instances simultaneously. A single physical link can carry traffic for multiple VLANs and serve as a backup path for multiple ring networks, eliminating the need for separate dedicated backup links for each ring
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple spanning tree instances and multiple ring networks onto shared links at aggregation switches. Instead of requiring independent links for each ring, the system combines them efficiently, reducing the total number of physical links needed while maintaining full redundancy
3Reliability
If traditional STP is used in ring networks, then loop prevention is achieved, but scalability is limited due to the number of links required at connection points
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables links to serve multiple rings and multiple VLANs simultaneously through multi-instance spanning tree configuration. This universal usage of links allows the network to scale to many more rings without proportionally increasing the number of physical links required at aggregation points
Data Source
AI summary
Various systems and methods for implementing virtual ports within ring networks are disclosed. For example, one method involves allocating a logical port that corresponds to a first port and a second port and instantiating a spanning tree protocol instance. The first port and the second port are both assigned to a first ring network. The spanning tree protocol instance selectively blocks the logical port; however, the spanning tree protocol instance is unable to block the first port independently of blocking the second port. Events (e.g., link failures and recoveries) that occur within the ring network are communicated to spanning tree by transitioning the state of the logical port in response to receiving a ring protocol control packet. The spanning tree protocol instance initiates a bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) exchange from the logical port in response to a transition in the state of the logical port.