Carrier-Grade XML Router Hardware Acceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current XML routers face challenges in achieving high data throughput and scalability, particularly in core networking applications, due to CPU-intensive computational algorithms, and require techniques to manage and distribute XML traffic across multiple forwarding elements to maximize throughput.
Innovation Solution
A carrier-grade XML router architecture with distinct management, control, and data planes, incorporating hardware acceleration and parallelization techniques, including multiple HW accelerated data plane forwarding elements, and load balancing methods to increase performance and capacity, and manage XML traffic across forwarding elements based on various criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If CPU-intensive computational algorithms are used for XML parsing, filtering, and conversion, then routing functionality is achieved, but data throughput is limited to 50-200 Mbps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces CPU-based software processing with hardware-based forwarding elements that perform XML parsing, filtering, and conversion operations in parallel. Multiple forwarding elements (FEs) are instantiated on hardware entities, each capable of independently processing XML traffic streams, thereby substituting sequential CPU computation with parallel hardware acceleration to achieve 10-20 Gbps throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The routing function is segmented into multiple independent forwarding elements distributed across different hardware entities. Each FE handles a portion of the XML traffic stream, allowing parallel processing of multiple XML documents simultaneously. This segmentation enables the system to scale throughput by adding more forwarding elements without increasing per-element computational complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple data plane forwarding elements are incorporated to achieve 10-20 Gbps data rates, then throughput is improved, but traffic management and distribution complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic load balancing mechanisms that automatically adjust traffic distribution across forwarding elements based on current system state. The controller monitors forwarding element utilization and dynamically reconfigures traffic routing to optimize throughput and balance load. This dynamic adaptation simplifies traffic management compared to static configurations while maximizing the utilization of multiple forwarding elements.
3Productivity
If hardware acceleration is used to increase throughput from 50-200 Mbps to 1-2 Gbps, then data rate is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs forwarding elements with universal functionality that can handle multiple XML processing operations (parsing, filtering, conversion) within a single hardware entity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized hardware components for each operation, thereby controlling device complexity while achieving 1-2 Gbps throughput through hardware acceleration.
Data Source
AI summary
A carrier grade content router, includes a distinct management plane for housing externally visible management applications, and coordinating and relaying external management requests to appropriate underlying application code in the router; a distinct control plane for running control protocols required within an XML routed network; and a distinct data plane for receiving and forwarding customer data. Some functions can be implemented in software or via a hardware accelerator.