VLAN-Specific Flow Control for Network Fabric Congestion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network congestion management techniques, such as IEEE 802.1Qbb's Priority Flow Control, lack the granularity to selectively pause only specific data flows within a network fabric, often resulting in unnecessary packet loss due to the inability to distinguish between packets from different VLANs within the same traffic class.
Innovation Solution
The method involves generating a data frame with a virtual local area network ID to instruct a computing device to pause only the data packets associated with a specific VLAN, allowing other traffic classes to continue transmitting, thereby providing more granular control over network traffic and preventing packet loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Priority Flow Control is used to manage network congestion, then packet loss is reduced, but the granularity of traffic control is insufficient causing unnecessary pausing of multiple VLANs within the same traffic class
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network traffic control by introducing VLAN-specific pause frames that can individually target each VLAN within a traffic class. Instead of pausing all traffic in a traffic class together, the system divides control into separate VLAN-level units, allowing selective pausing of only the congested VLAN while maintaining flow for other VLANs in the same class.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by enabling differential treatment of different VLANs within the same traffic class. Each VLAN can have its own pause status independent of others, allowing the system to apply congestion control locally to specific VLANs rather than uniformly across the entire traffic class.
2Reliability
If all traffic in a traffic class is paused to relieve congestion, then buffer overflow is prevented, but throughput of non-congested VLANs is unnecessarily reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pause control at the VLAN level rather than at the traffic class level. This allows the system to prevent buffer overflow in congested VLANs by pausing only those specific VLANs, while leaving other VLANs in the same traffic class uninterrupted, thereby maintaining their throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying pause control to the entire traffic class (excessive action), the invention applies pause control only to the specific VLANs that are congested (partial action). This selective approach prevents buffer overflow where needed while avoiding unnecessary throughput reduction in non-congested VLANs.
3Measurement precision
If VLAN-specific pause frames are implemented, then traffic control precision is improved, but protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reuses the existing Ethernet pause frame structure and VLAN tagging mechanisms to achieve VLAN-specific control. By making the existing pause frame protocol multi-functional (capable of identifying and controlling individual VLANs through existing VLAN ID fields), the system avoids creating an entirely new complex protocol while still achieving precise traffic identification.
Data Source
AI summary
A network fabric may divide a physical connection into a plurality of VLANs as defined by IEEE 802.1Q. Moreover, many network fabrics use Priority Flow Control to identify and segregate network traffic based on different traffic classes or priorities. Current routing protocols define only eight traffic classes. In contrast, a network fabric may contain thousands of unique VLANs. When network congestion occurs, network devices (e.g., switches, bridges, routers, servers, etc.) can negotiate to pause the network traffic associated with one of the different traffic classes. Pausing the data packets associated with a single traffic class may also stop the data packets associated with thousands of VLANs. The embodiments disclosed herein permit a network fabric to individually pause VLANs rather than entire traffic classes.