Capability Aware Routing

• US 20160218961A1
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lindem, Alfred C. III, Psenak, Peter, Wijnands, Ijsbrand
• Granted Patent: US 9,906,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/127 based on intermediate node capabilities

Abstract

Various systems and methods for bypassing one or more non-capable nodes. For example, one method involves a capable node determining that an adjacent node is non-capable, where capable nodes are configured to implement a data plane capability and non-capable nodes are not. The method then involves identifying a downstream node that is capable. The downstream node is on a shortest path. The method also involves generating information that identifies a tunnel to the downstream node.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a capable node determining that an adjacent node is non-capable, wherein

non-capable nodes are not configured to implement a data plane capability, and

capable nodes are configured to implement the data plane capability;

the capable node identifying a capable downstream node, wherein

the capable downstream node is on a shortest path from the capable node to the capable downstream node;

the capable node generating information identifying a tunnel having a tail at the capable downstream node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tunnel comprises at least one of:

a GRE tunnel;

a TE tunnel;

an MPLS LSP;

or

an IP tunnel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the tunnel in response to the identifying, wherein

the tunnel begins at the capable node and ends at the capable downstream node.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating routing information to include the information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating a tunnel prototype to include information identifying the adjacent node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

including the information in a list of tunnels.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a configuration change, wherein

the configuration change comprises at least one of a topology change or a node configuration change; and

updating the list of tunnels in response to the detecting.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein

the updating comprises removing information identifying a first tunnel from the list of tunnels, and

the removing comprises determining whether the first tunnel has exceeded an age threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the identifying comprises performing a shortest path first (SPF) calculation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data plane capability comprises bit-indexed explicit replication (BIER).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the adjacent node is non-capable comprises:

parsing information received from the adjacent node in a link state advertisement.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein

each node between the capable node and the capable downstream node on the shortest path is non-capable.

13. A system comprising a network device associated with a node, the network device comprising:

one or more network interfaces;

a processor configured to implement a data plane capability; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to implement a method comprising

determining that an adjacent node is non-capable, wherein

non-capable nodes are not configured to implement the data plane capability,

identifying a capable downstream node, wherein

capable nodes are configured to implement the data plane capability, and

the capable downstream node is on a shortest path from the node to the capable downstream node,

generating information identifying a tunnel having a tail at the capable downstream node.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

generating the tunnel in response to the identifying, wherein

the tunnel begins at the node and ends at the capable downstream node.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

updating routing information to include the information; and

.

updating a tunnel prototype to include information identifying the adjacent node.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a configuration change, wherein

the configuration change comprises at least one of a topology change or a node configuration change; and

updating a list of tunnels in response to the detecting.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein

the updating comprises removing a first tunnel from the list of tunnels, and

the removing comprises determining whether the first tunnel has exceeded an age threshold.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein

the identifying comprises performing a shortest path first (SPF) calculation.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the determining that the adjacent node is non-capable comprises:

parsing information received from the adjacent node in a link state advertisement.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein

each node between the capable node and the capable downstream node on the shortest path is non-capable.