Detecting and resolving multicast traffic performance issues

• US 10,541,866 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2017
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sharpless, Laura, Vaidyanathan, Ramanan, Swarnamanjunathan, Keerthi Manjunathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Aga, Sori A
• Application Number:
  US15/658,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20190036771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/25 Routing or path finding in a switch fabric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/505 Corrective measures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to systems and methods for improving multicast traffic flows in a computer network. In some aspects, a method of the technology includes steps for receiving multicast traffic statistics from each of a plurality of switches in a computer network, aggregating the multicast traffic statistics into a time-series database, and identifying a low-performing multicast flow based on the time-series database. In some aspects, the method can include steps for automatically reconfiguring the computer network to improve the low-performing multicast flow. Systems and machine readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a network controller, multicast traffic statistics from each of a plurality of switches in a computer network;

aggregating, by the network controller, the multicast traffic statistics into a time-series database;

automatically identifying, by the network controller, a low-performing multicast flow, based on the time-series database, wherein the low-performing multicast flow is associated with a source switch; and

reconfiguring the computer network to improve the low-performing multicast flow;

wherein identifying the low-performing multicast flow comprises computing a number of packet drop events associated with one or more forwarding tag (FTAG) and port pairs.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

determining, by the network controller, if a multicast root corresponding with the low-performing multicast flow can be transferred to a destination switch in the computer network; and

reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch to transfer the multicast root to the destination switch.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch further comprises:

providing an alert to a network administrator, via the network controller, the alert indicating a recommended network configuration to improve the low-performing multicast flow; and

receiving a response from the network administrator, the response indicating either an approval or rejection of the recommended network configuration.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning one or more links associated with the low-performing multicast flow.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning a multicast tree associated with the low-performing multicast flow.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying the low-performing multicast flow further comprises:

computing a total packet throughput for one or more forwarding tag (FTAG) and port pairs.

7. A network controller for improving multicast traffic flows, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving multicast traffic statistics from each of a plurality of switches in a computer network;

aggregating the multicast traffic statistics into a time-series database;

automatically identifying a low-performing multicast flow, based on the time-series database, wherein the low-performing multicast flow is associated with a source switch; and

reconfiguring the computer network to improve the low-performing multicast flow;

wherein identifying the low-performing multicast flow comprises computing a number of packet drop events associated with one or more forwarding tag (FTAG) and port pairs.

8. The network controller of claim 7, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

determining if a multicast root corresponding with the low-performing multicast flow can be transferred to a destination switch in the computer network; and

reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch to transfer the multicast root to the destination switch.

9. The network controller of claim 8, wherein reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch further comprises:

providing an alert to a network administrator the alert indicating a recommended network configuration to improve the low-performing multicast flow; and

receiving a response from the network administrator, the response indicating either an approval or rejection of the recommended network configuration.

10. The network controller of claim 7, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning one or more links associated with the low-performing multicast flow.

11. The network controller of claim 7, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning a multicast tree associated with the low-performing multicast flow.

12. The network controller of claim 7, wherein identifying the low-performing multicast flow further comprises:

computing a total packet throughput for one or more forwarding tag (FTAG) and port pairs.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving multicast traffic statistics from each of a plurality of switches in a computer network;

aggregating the multicast traffic statistics into a time-series database;

automatically identifying a low-performing multicast flow, based on the time-series database, wherein the low-performing multicast flow is associated with a source switch; and

reconfiguring the computer network to improve the low-performing multicast flow;

wherein identifying the low-performing multicast flow comprises computing a number of packet drop events associated with one or more forwarding tag (FTAG) and port pairs.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

determining if a multicast root corresponding with the low-performing multicast flow can be transferred to a destination switch in the computer network; and

reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch to transfer the multicast root to the destination switch.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein reconfiguring the source switch and the destination switch further comprises:

providing an alert to a network administrator, the alert indicating a recommended network configuration to improve the low-performing multicast flow; and

receiving a response from the network administrator, the response indicating either an approval or rejection of the recommended network configuration.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning one or more links associated with the low-performing multicast flow.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein reconfiguring the computer network further comprises:

automatically pruning a multicast tree associated with the low-performing multicast flow.