VXLAN Packet ESI Identification via IP Bit Modification
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Solution Overview
Problem
VXLAN traffic lacks support for Ethernet Segment Identifier (ESI) functionality, leading to inability to distinguish packets from different ESIs of the same provider edge (PE) node and inaccurate traffic calculation across adjacent PE nodes.
Innovation Solution
A packet sending and processing method that modifies IP addresses by encrypting or replacing bits of the ESI IP with entropy values, VLAN IDs, or Root/Leaf attributes, allowing ESI identification and filtering, enabling ESI support without requiring MPLS encapsulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the same VXLAN encapsulation is used to forward packets from different ESIs of the same PE node, then packet forwarding is simplified, but the remote node cannot distinguish packets from different ESIs and traffic calculation becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the ESI IP address into multiple parts: a common prefix shared by all ESIs of the same PE node, and a unique suffix that identifies the specific ESI. This segmentation allows the remote node to both simplify forwarding using the common prefix and distinguish individual ESIs using the unique suffix portion of the IP address.
2Ease of manufacture
If VXLAN EVPN traffic uses standard VXLAN encapsulation without VNI label stack structure, then implementation is simpler, but extension to E-TREE and ESI functionality cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter used for ESI identification from the traditional VNI label stack structure to a modified IP address structure. By modifying bits in the IP address (such as using the lower 32 bits or specific bit positions to encode ESI information), the system achieves E-TREE and ESI functionality while maintaining the simpler VXLAN encapsulation format without requiring MPLS or complex label stacks.
3Loss of information
If IP address bits are encrypted with entropy values for ESI identification, then ESI differentiation is achieved, but IP address processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mapping mechanism where ESI information is encoded into the IP address structure through a deterministic transformation (such as using entropy values derived from packet characteristics or pre-configured mappings). This intermediary process allows ESI identification without requiring complex real-time encryption/decryption operations, balancing identification accuracy with processing complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a packet sending methods and apparatus, a packet processing method and apparatus, a PE node and a node. The packet sending method includes: receiving a first packet from an AC, processing the first packet to obtain a second packet, the second packet including a first IP, where the first IP includes a second IP or an IP obtained by encrypting part bits of the second IP with an intrinsic entropy value of the first packet and the second IP is one of an ESI IP of an ESI corresponding to the AC, an IP obtained by modifying a designated bit of the ESI IP of the ESI corresponding to the AC according to a Root/Leaf attribute of the AC, an IP obtained by replacing part bits of the ESI IP of the ESI corresponding to the AC with a VLAN ID value corresponding to the AC, a third IP, or an IP obtained by modifying a designated bit of the third IP according to the Root/Leaf attribute of the AC; and sending the second packet.