Virtual Router Resource Allocation via Physical Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing network routing systems are inefficient in terms of resource utilization, as they require multiple physical routers with expensive line cards to manage traffic, leading to high costs for interconnecting routers within a single ISP or Point of Presence (POP).
Innovation Solution
Implementing a router system that uses multiple virtual routers sharing resources, where a physical router system allocates a set of resources as shared and another set as non-shared, allowing virtual backbone and regional routers to function independently while sharing resources, thereby reducing the need for multiple physical routers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple physical routers are used to manage traffic, then routing functionality is provided, but resource utilization is inefficient and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple virtual routers are implemented within a single physical router system, merging the functionality of multiple separate physical routers into one shared platform. This allows multiple routing instances to coexist and share physical resources such as line cards, processors, and memory, thereby improving resource utilization while maintaining full routing functionality for each virtual router instance.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical router system is designed to universally support multiple virtual router instances, each capable of performing different routing functions (backbone routing, regional routing, edge routing). This multi-functionality allows a single physical system to replace multiple specialized physical routers, improving efficiency while maintaining the ability to perform diverse routing tasks.
2Productivity
If multiple physical routers with line cards are used, then traffic management is achieved, but interconnection costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple physical router functions into a single physical platform by implementing virtualization. Multiple virtual routers share the same physical line cards, processors, and memory resources, dramatically reducing the quantity of physical hardware needed while maintaining full traffic management capability across all virtual routing instances.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying multiple physical routers, the system creates virtual copies of routing functionality within a single physical system. Each virtual router is a software-based copy that emulates the behavior of a physical router, allowing multiple instances to share the same physical infrastructure and reducing hardware costs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate physical routers are deployed, then independent routing functions are maintained, but resource sharing is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The physical router system is segmented into multiple independent virtual router instances, each capable of performing independent routing functions. This segmentation is achieved through virtualization, which divides the physical system into isolated virtual environments that can operate independently while sharing underlying physical resources, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining functional independence.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a physical dimension of multiple separate routers to a virtual dimension where multiple routing instances coexist within a single physical system. This dimensional shift allows independent routing functions to be maintained through software-based virtualization while dramatically reducing the physical footprint and complexity of the overall system.
Data Source
AI summary
A router system implements a plurality of virtual routers. Various combinations of resources may be shared by the router system when implementing the virtual routers. In one embodiment, the particular combination of resources to share when implementing the virtual router is user programmable.