Virtual Routing Tables for Multi-Tier Network Bandwidth
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-tier network routing protocols, such as OSPF, impose limitations on the number of uplinks for lower-tier routers, leading to underutilization of rack aggregation device capacity and requiring strict placement rules to ensure full bi-sectional bandwidth, which can increase costs and limit flexibility in router designs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a routing update filter configuration that filters network topology information to create a virtual routing table or link state database for each router, allowing arbitrary numbers of uplinks while ensuring full bi-sectional bandwidth without modifying hardware or software, by blocking or allowing routing updates based on specified criteria to prevent partial overlap detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If routing protocols like OSPF are used to route traffic between lower level routers connected to a rack aggregation device, then full bi-sectional bandwidth can be ensured, but the number of uplinks that any lower level router can have to routers within the rack aggregation device is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the routing information by creating separate virtual routing tables for different groups of lower level routers. Each virtual routing table contains only the routing information relevant to a specific group, allowing routers to have more uplinks without overwhelming the routing protocol with excessive information. This segmentation enables the system to scale to more uplinks while maintaining reliable routing.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a new dimension of organization by grouping lower level routers into different groups and creating virtual routing tables for each group. This dimensional organization allows the routing system to handle more uplinks by distributing routing information across multiple virtual tables rather than requiring a single comprehensive table, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and adaptability.
2Reliability
If strict placement rules are imposed on router uplinks to ensure full bi-sectional bandwidth, then routing reliability is maintained, but rack design flexibility and uplink capacity utilization are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the routing table dynamic by creating multiple virtual routing tables that can be selectively activated based on the specific configuration of lower level routers. Instead of requiring static placement rules, the system dynamically generates appropriate virtual routing tables for each group of routers, allowing flexible rack designs while maintaining full bi-sectional bandwidth through the virtual routing table mechanism.
3Productivity
If the number of uplinks for lower level routers is increased beyond traditional limitations, then rack aggregation device capacity is better utilized, but routing protocol complexity and information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the large routing information space into multiple smaller virtual routing tables, each containing only the routing information relevant to a specific group of lower level routers. This segmentation reduces the information processing burden on each router while allowing the overall system to support more uplinks and better utilize rack aggregation device capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies are provided for creating virtual routing tables in routers in a multi-tier network. One or more routers in the network are configured to block other routers in a lower tier of the network from receiving routing updates from one another. By blocking the routing updates, the routers in the higher tier of the network cause the routers in the lower tier of the network to create different virtual routing tables that do not include other routers the lower tier of the network. In such a configuration, routers in the lower tier of the network can be connected to routers in the higher tier of the network with partially overlapping uplink connections without a loss of bandwidth utilization. Since the routers in the lower tier of the network are unaware of the partially overlapping uplink connections, the routers in the lower tier of the network can distribute data transmissions to one another evenly across all their uplink connections to the routers in the higher tier of the network, instead of using the overlapping uplink connections exclusively.