ADDRESSING SCHEME FOR HYBRID COMMUNICATION NETWORKS

• US 20120230343A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schrum, Sidney B. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/103 across network layers, e.g. resolution of network layer into physical layer addresses or address resolution protocol [ARP]

Abstract

A hybrid network device can implement an address management scheme for maintaining consistency between source/destination addresses and corresponding source/destination communication interfaces. In one embodiment, a first network device can select a first network path from a plurality of network paths associated with the communication network for transmitting a packet to a second network device. A source address can be determined from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device. A destination address can be determined from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device based, in part, on the selected first network path. The packet including at least the source address and the destination address can be transmitted via the first network path from a source communication interface of the first network device to a destination communication interface of the second network device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining to transmit a packet from a first network device to a second network device of a communication network;

selecting a first network path from a plurality of network paths associated with the communication network for transmitting the packet from the first network device to the second network device;

determining a source address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device;

determining a destination address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device based, at least in part, on the first network path selected for transmitting the packet from the first network device to the second network device; and

transmitting the packet, including at least the source address associated with the first network device and the destination address associated with the second network device, via the first network path from a source communication interface of the first network device to a destination communication interface of the second network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the source address associated with the first network device comprises a media access control (MAC) address associated with the source communication interface of the first network device, and the destination address associated with the second network device comprises a MAC address associated with the destination communication interface of the second network device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a first classification category from a plurality of classification categories for the packet based on characteristics of the packet;

associating the first network path selected for transmitting the packet with the first classification category selected for the packet; and

storing the association of the first network path selected for transmitting the packet with the first classification category selected for the packet.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining to transmit a second packet from the first network device to the second network device;

determining that the second packet is associated with the first classification category based on characteristics of the second packet; and

selecting the first network path from the plurality of network paths associated with the communication network for transmitting the second packet from the source communication interface of the first network device to the destination communication interface of the second network device in response to said determining that the second packet is associated with the first classification category based on characteristics of the second packet.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the packet comprise at least one of an upper protocol layer destination address, an upper protocol layer source address, a lower protocol layer destination address, a lower protocol layer source address, a priority associated with the packet, a latency associated with the packet, a packet type, a communication protocol in accordance with which the packet will be transmitted, a communication port from which the packet will be transmitted, a communication network via which the packet will be transmitted, and an application that generated the packet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said determining the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device comprises;

selecting the source communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device; and

determining the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet; and

said determining the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device comprises;

selecting the destination communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device; and

determining the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said determining the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device further comprises:

detecting, from the packet, an original source address associated with the first network device that is selected for transmitting the packet;

determining whether the original source address matches the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device;

in response to determining that the original source address does not match the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device,

overwriting the original source address with the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device; and

utilizing the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device for the transmission of the packet.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said determining the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the first network device further comprises:

detecting, from the packet, an original destination address associated with the second network device that is selected by the first network device for transmitting the packet;

determining whether the original destination address matches the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device;

in response to determining that the original destination address does not match the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device,

overwriting the original destination address with the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device; and

utilizing the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device for the transmission of the packet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device further comprises one of:

selecting a first of the plurality of addresses associated with a first of the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device as the source address, wherein the first of the plurality of interfaces of the first network device is different from the source communication interface,

selecting a predetermined address associated with the first network device as the source address, wherein the predetermined address associated with the first network device is different from any of the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of interfaces of the first network device,

selecting the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the first network device based, at least in part, on mappings between the plurality of addresses and a second plurality of addresses associated with the first network device, and

selecting the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the first network device based, at least in part, on a routing algorithm associated with the first network device and a topology of the communication network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device further comprises one of:

selecting a first of the plurality of addresses associated with a first of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device as the destination address, wherein the first of the plurality of interfaces of the second network device is different from the destination communication interface,

selecting a predetermined address associated with the second network device as the destination address, wherein the predetermined address associated with the second network device is different from any of the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of interfaces of the second network device,

selecting the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the second network device based, at least in part, on mappings between the plurality of addresses and a second plurality of addresses associated with the second network device,

selecting one of the plurality of addresses associated with the second network device that corresponds to the first network path as the destination address, and

selecting the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the second network device based, at least in part, on a routing algorithm associated with the first network device and a topology of the communication network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said determining the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device comprises discovering the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device; and

said discovering the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device comprises at least one of;

receiving, from the second network device, one or more discovery announcement packets that comprise an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device,

analyzing address fields associated with one or more communication packets received from the second network device to determine at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device, and

requesting, from the second network device, an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device.

12. A communication device comprising:

a network interface;

an address selection and routing unit coupled with the network interface, the address selection and routing unit operable to;

select a first network path from a plurality of network paths associated with a communication network for transmitting a packet from the communication device to a second communication device, in response to determining to transmit the packet from the communication device to the second communication device of the communication network;

determine a source address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the communication device;

determine a destination address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device based, at least in part, on the first network path selected for transmitting the packet from the communication device to the second communication device; and

transmit the packet, including at least the source address associated with the communication device and the destination address associated with the second communication device, via the first network path from a source communication interface of the communication device to a destination communication interface of the second communication device.

13. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the address selection and routing unit is further operable to:

select a first classification category from a plurality of classification categories for the packet based on characteristics of the packet, wherein the characteristics of the packet comprise at least one of an upper protocol layer destination address, an upper protocol layer source address, a lower protocol layer destination address, a lower protocol layer source address, a priority associated with the packet, a latency associated with the packet, a packet type, a communication protocol in accordance with which the packet will be transmitted, a communication port from which the packet will be transmitted, a communication network via which the packet will be transmitted, and an application that generated the packet;

associate the first network path selected for transmitting the packet with the first classification category selected for the packet; and

store the association of the first network path selected for transmitting the packet with the first classification category selected for the packet.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the address selection and routing unit is further operable to:

determine to transmit a second packet from the communication device to the second communication device;

determine that the second packet is associated with the first classification category based on characteristics of the second packet; and

select the first network path from the plurality of network paths associated with the communication network for transmitting the second packet from the source communication interface of the communication device to the destination communication interface of the second communication device in response to the address selection and routing unit determining that the second packet is associated with the first classification category based on characteristics of the second packet.

15. The communication device of claim 12, wherein:

the address selection and routing unit operable to determine the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the communication device comprises the address selection and routing unit operable to;

select the source communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the communication device; and

determine the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet; and

the address selection and routing unit operable to determine the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device comprises the address selection and routing unit operable to;

select the destination communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device; and

determine the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second communication device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the address selection and routing unit operable to determine the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device further comprises the address selection and routing unit operable to:

detect, from the packet, an original source address associated with the communication device that is selected for transmitting the packet;

determine whether the original source address matches the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device;

in response to the address selection and routing unit determining that the original source address does not match the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device,

overwrite the original source address with the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device; and

utilize the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the communication device for the transmission of the packet.

17. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the address selection and routing unit operable to determine the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the communication device further comprises the address selection and routing unit operable to:

select a first of the plurality of addresses associated with a first of the plurality of communication interfaces of the communication device as the source address, wherein the first of the plurality of interfaces of the communication device is different from the source communication interface, or

select a predetermined address associated with the communication device as the source address, wherein the predetermined address associated with the communication device is different from any of the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of interfaces of the communication device.

18. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the address selection and routing unit operable to determine the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device comprises at least one of:

the address selection and routing unit operable to receive, from the second communication device, one or more discovery announcement packets that comprise an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device,

the address selection and routing unit operable to analyze address fields associated with one or more communication packets received from the second communication device to determine at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device, and

the address selection and routing unit operable to request, from the second communication device, an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second communication device.

19. One or more machine-readable storage media having instructions stored therein, which when executed by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations that comprise:

selecting a first network path from a plurality of network paths associated with a communication network for transmitting a packet from a first network device to a second network device in response to determining to transmit the packet from the first network device to the second network device of the communication network;

determining a source address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device;

determining a destination address from a plurality of addresses associated with a plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device based, at least in part, on the first network path selected for transmitting the packet from the first network device to the second network device; and

transmitting the packet, including at least the source address associated with the first network device and the destination address associated with the second network device, via the first network path from a source communication interface of the first network device to a destination communication interface of the second network device.

20. The machine-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein:

said operation of determining the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device comprises;

selecting the source communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device; and

determining the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet; and

said operation of determining the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device comprises;

selecting the destination communication interface from the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device; and

determining the destination address that corresponds to the destination communication interface of the second network device associated with the first network path selected for transmitting the packet.

21. The machine-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein said operation of determining the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device further comprises:

detecting, from the packet, an original source address associated with the first network device that is selected for transmitting the packet;

determining whether the original source address matches the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device;

in response to determining that the original source address does not match the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device,

overwriting the original source address with the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device; and

utilizing the source address that corresponds to the source communication interface of the first network device for the transmission of the packet.

22. The machine-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein said operation of determining the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device further comprises one of:

selecting a first of the plurality of addresses associated with a first of the plurality of communication interfaces of the first network device as the source address, wherein the first of the plurality of interfaces of the first network device is different from the source communication interface,

selecting a predetermined address associated with the first network device as the source address, wherein the predetermined address associated with the first network device is different from any of the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of interfaces of the first network device,

selecting the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the first network device based, at least in part, on mappings between the plurality of addresses and a second plurality of addresses associated with the first network device, and

selecting the source address from the plurality of addresses associated with the first network device based, at least in part, on a routing algorithm associated with the first network device and a topology of the communication network.

23. The machine-readable storage media of claim 19, wherein said operation of determining the destination address from the plurality of addresses associated with the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device comprises:

receiving, from the second network device, one or more discovery announcement packets that comprise an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device,

analyzing address fields associated with one or more communication packets received from the second network device to determine at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device, and

requesting, from the second network device, an indication of at least one of the plurality of addresses associated with at least one of the plurality of communication interfaces of the second network device.