Method and apparatus providing automatic RESV message generation for non-RESV-capable network devices

• US 7,423,971 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mohaban, Shai, Parnafes, Itzhak
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer; Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTIS, JASON E
• Application Number:
  US09/586,531
• Time in Patent Office: 3,023 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/235, 370/236, 370/401, 709/238
• US Class Current: 370/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/724 at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP]

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing network resource reservation capability for receiver nodes that either cannot or do not facilitate RSVP processes is provided. A RESV proxy is connected between an anticipated sender node and an anticipated receiver node in a computer network, e.g., a voice over IP network. The RESV proxy can detect an RSVP Path message and determine whether a RESV message is appropriate for the anticipated traffic flow. If it is so determined, the RESV proxy generates and communicates a RESV message through the network back to the anticipated sender node. The appropriateness of a RESV message can be based upon predetermined relationships or logic involving one or more of network parameters, transport parameters, and characteristics of the anticipated traffic flow, and other traffic flow attributes determined from analyzing the RSVP Path message. The RESV proxy can also interface with a policy server on the network to facilitate generation of the RESV message according to one or more of the anticipated traffic flow attributes. Alternatively, the RESV proxy can include the policy server functionality itself.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a network resources reservation for an anticipated traffic flow along a path in a network between an anticipated source and an anticipated receiver of the traffic flow, wherein the anticipated receiver otherwise cannot facilitate establishing the network resources reservation, the method comprising the steps of:

storing, at a proxy node, policy information defining whether the proxy node should initiate network resources reservations for particular traffic flows;

detecting a first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a router, acting as a proxy node, located within the path;

determining, at the proxy node and based on the policy information stored at the proxy node and without receiving the policy information from a policy server residing on the network, whether to establish the network resources reservation;

generating, at the proxy node, an RESV message to reserve network resources for the anticipated traffic flow;

communicating the RESV message to the anticipated source of the anticipated traffic flow;

wherein the step of determining, at the proxy node, whether to establish the network resources reservation includes the steps of;

determining one or more network parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining one or more transport parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining next and previous hop parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

correlating at least one of the ascertained network parameter, transport parameter, next hop parameter, and previous hop parameter values with information defining a relationship between them and whether a RESV message is desired; and

concurrently with the generating and communicating steps, forwarding a second RSVP Path message to one or more devices that are along the anticipated path and that are between the proxy node and the anticipated receiver, wherein the second RSVP Path message defines a different set of traffic characteristics for the flow initiated by the sender than the first RSVP message.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining one or more device and traffic parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow, and wherein the step of generating the RESV message comprises the step of generating the RESV message based on at least one of the device and traffic parameter values.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the network parameter values and ascertaining the transport parameter values includes the steps of determining at least one of the source and receiver IP addresses, source and receiver port numbers, and transport protocol based on values carried in objects in the first RSVP Path message.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the anticipated traffic flow characteristics includes determining at least one of the rate and size of packets associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of extracting one or more additional anticipated traffic flow attributes from the first RSVP Path message.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the anticipated receiver is an IP phone, and further comprising the step of determining at least one quality of service parameter associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting an RSVP Path message comprises the step of detecting the first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a proxy node that is logically positioned adjacent to the path.

8. A computer readable medium comprising one or more sequences of instructions for facilitating an RSVP reservation process, for an anticipated traffic flow anticipated to be received by an anticipated receiver that cannot facilitate an RSVP reservation process for the anticipated traffic flow, wherein the computer readable medium comprises either a volatile medium or a non-volatile medium, and wherein when the instructions are executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

storing, at a proxy node, policy information defining whether the proxy node should initiate network resources reservations for particular traffic flows;

detecting a first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a router, acting as a proxy node, located within the path;

determining, at the proxy node and based on the policy information stored at the proxy node and without receiving the policy information from a policy server residing on the network, whether to establish the network resources reservation;

generating, at the proxy node, an RESV message to reserve network resources for the anticipated traffic flow;

communicating the RESV message to the anticipated source of the anticipated traffic flow;

wherein the step of determining, at the proxy node, whether to establish the network resources reservation includes the steps of;

determining one or more network parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining one or more transport parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining next and previous hop parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow; and

correlating at least one of the ascertained network parameter, transport parameter, next hop parameter, and previous hop parameter values with information defining a relationship between them and whether a RESV message is desired; and

concurrently with the generating and communicating steps, forwarding a second RSVP Path message to one or more devices that are along the anticipated path and that are between the proxy node and the anticipated receiver, wherein the second RSVP Path message defines a different set of traffic characteristics for the flow initiated by the sender than the first RSVP message.

9. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of determining one or more device and traffic parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow, and wherein the step of generating the RESV message comprises the step of generating the RESV message based on at least one of the device and traffic parameter values.

10. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein determining the network parameter values and ascertaining the transport parameter values includes the steps of determining at least one of the source and receiver IP addresses, source and receiver port numbers, and transport protocol based on values carried in objects in the first RSVP Path message.

11. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein determining the anticipated traffic flow characteristics includes determining at least one of the rate and size of packets associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

12. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, further comprising the steps of extracting one or more additional anticipated traffic flow attributes from the first RSVP Path message.

13. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 12, wherein the anticipated receiver is an IP phone, and further comprising the step of determining at least one quality of service parameter associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

14. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 8, wherein the step of detecting an RSVP Path message comprises the step of detecting the first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a proxy node that is logically positioned adjacent to the path.

15. A system for establishing a network resources reservation for an anticipated traffic flow along a path in a network between an anticipated source and an anticipated receiver of the traffic flow, wherein the anticipated receiver otherwise cannot facilitate establishing the network resources reservation, the system comprising:

means for storing, at a proxy node, policy information defining whether the proxy node should initiate network resources reservations for particular traffic flows;

means for detecting a first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a router, acting as a proxy node, located within the path;

means for determining, at the proxy node and based on the policy information stored at the proxy node and without receiving the policy information from a policy server residing on the network, whether to establish the network resources reservation;

means for generating, at the proxy node, an RESV message to reserve network resources for the anticipated traffic flow;

means for communicating the RESV message to the anticipated source of the anticipated traffic flow; and

wherein the means for determining, at the proxy node, whether to establish the network resources reservation includes;

means for determining one or more network parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

means for determining one or more transport parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

means for determining next and previous hop parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

means for correlating at least one of the ascertained network parameter, transport parameter, next hop parameter, and previous hop parameter values with information defining a relationship between them and whether a RESV message is desired and

means for forwarding, concurrently with operation of the means for generating and the means for communicating, a second RSVP Path message to one or more devices that are along the anticipated path and that are between the proxy node and the anticipated receiver, wherein the second RSVP Path message defines a different set of traffic characteristics for the flow initiated by the sender than the first RSVP message.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for determining one or more device and traffic parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow, and wherein the means for generating the RESV message comprises means for generating the RESV message based on at least one of the device and traffic parameter values.

17. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for determining the network parameter values and ascertaining the transport parameter values includes means for determining at least one of the source and receiver IP addresses, source and receiver port numbers, and transport protocol based on values carried in objects in the first RSVP Path message.

18. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for determining the anticipated traffic flow characteristics determining at least one of the rate and size of packets associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

19. A system as recited in claim 15, further comprising means for extracting one or more additional anticipated traffic flow attributes from the first RSVP Path message.

20. A system as recited in claim 18, wherein the anticipated receiver is an IP phone, and further comprising means for determining at least one quality of service parameter associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

21. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the means for detecting an RSVP Path message comprises means for detecting a first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a proxy node that is logically positioned adjacent to the path.

22. A network device that can establish a network resources reservation for an anticipated traffic flow along a path in a network between an anticipated source and an anticipated receiver of the traffic flow, wherein the anticipated receiver otherwise cannot facilitate establishing the network resources reservation, the network device comprising:

a network interface;

a processor coupled to the network interface and receiving network messages from the network through the network interface;

a computer-readable medium comprising one or more stored sequences which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

storing, at a proxy node, policy information defining whether the proxy node should initiate network resources reservations for particular traffic flows;

detecting a first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a router, acting as a proxy node, located within the path;

determining, at the proxy node and based on the policy information stored at the proxy node and without receiving the policy information from a policy server residing on the network, whether to establish the network resources reservation;

generating, at the proxy node, an RESV message to reserve network resources for the anticipated traffic flow;

communicating the RESV message to the anticipated source of the anticipated traffic flow;

wherein the step of determining, at the proxy node, whether to establish the network resources reservation comprises the steps of;

determining one or more network parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining one or more transport parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow;

determining next and previous hop parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow; and

correlating at least one of the ascertained network parameter, transport parameter, next hop parameter, and previous hop parameter values with information defining a relationship between them and whether a RESV message is desired; and

concurrently with the generating and communicating steps, forwarding a second RSVP Path message to one or more devices that are along the anticipated path and that are between the proxy node and the anticipated receiver, wherein the second RSVP Path message defines a different set of traffic characteristics for the flow initiated by the sender than the first RSVP message.

23. A network device as recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more stored sequences, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further carry out the step of determining one or more device and traffic parameter values associated with the anticipated traffic flow, and wherein the step of generating the RESV message comprises the step of generating the RESV message based on at least one of the device and traffic parameter values.

24. A network device as recited in claim 22, wherein determining the network parameter values and ascertaining the transport parameter values includes the steps of determining at least one of the source and receiver IP addresses, source and receiver port numbers, and transport protocol based on values carried in objects in the first RSVP Path message.

25. A network device as recited in claim 22, wherein determining the anticipated traffic flow characteristics includes determining at least one of the rate and size of packets associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

26. A network device as recited in claim 22, wherein the one or more stored sequences, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further carry out the step of extracting one or more additional anticipated traffic flow attributes from the RSVP Path message.

27. A network device as recited in claim 26, wherein the anticipated receiver is an IP phone, and wherein the one or more stored sequences, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further carry out the step of determining at least one quality of service parameter associated with the anticipated traffic flow.

28. A network device as recited in claim 22, wherein the step of detecting an RSVP Path message comprises the step of detecting the first RSVP Path message associated with the anticipated receiver of the anticipated traffic flow at a proxy node that is logically positioned adjacent to the path.