Service aware path selection with a network acceleration device
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, with a first intermediate network acceleration device, network traffic from a first network for delivery to a second network;
receiving, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first communication from a second intermediate network acceleration device indicating intermediate optimization capabilities made available by the second intermediate network acceleration device;
receiving, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second communication from a third intermediate network acceleration device included in the second network indicating direct optimization capabilities made available by the third intermediate network acceleration device;
determining, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first set of cost factors for a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the first set of cost factors include at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to the intermediate optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the second intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the third intermediate network acceleration device along the first path;
determining, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second set of cost factors for a second path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second set of cost factors includes at least one direct optimization cost factor corresponding to the direct optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the third intermediate network acceleration device, and wherein the second path comprises a direct path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device that does not include any other intermediate network acceleration devices;
selecting, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first set of cost factors and the second set of cost factors; and
forwarding, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, the network traffic via the selected one of the first or second paths.
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Abstract
An intermediate network device performs service aware path selection. For example, the intermediate network device comprises a network interface that receives network traffic and a control unit that couples to the network interface. The control unit comprises a storage medium that stores a first set of cost factors for a first path from the intermediate network device to another intermediate network device. The first set of cost factors includes at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to intermediate optimization capabilities available to the intermediate network device that offset other cost factors of the first set. The storage medium also stores a second set of cost factors for a second path between the devices. The control unit selects either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first and second sets of cost factors.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, with a first intermediate network acceleration device, network traffic from a first network for delivery to a second network; receiving, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first communication from a second intermediate network acceleration device indicating intermediate optimization capabilities made available by the second intermediate network acceleration device; receiving, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second communication from a third intermediate network acceleration device included in the second network indicating direct optimization capabilities made available by the third intermediate network acceleration device; determining, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first set of cost factors for a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the first set of cost factors include at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to the intermediate optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the second intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the third intermediate network acceleration device along the first path; determining, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second set of cost factors for a second path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second set of cost factors includes at least one direct optimization cost factor corresponding to the direct optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the third intermediate network acceleration device, and wherein the second path comprises a direct path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device that does not include any other intermediate network acceleration devices; selecting, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first set of cost factors and the second set of cost factors; and forwarding, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, the network traffic via the selected one of the first or second paths. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A first intermediate network acceleration device comprising:
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at least one network interface that receives network traffic from a first network for delivery to a second network, receives a first communication from a second intermediate network acceleration device indicating intermediate optimization capabilities made available by the second intermediate network acceleration device, and receives a second communication from a third intermediate network acceleration device included in the second network indicating direct optimization capabilities made available by the third intermediate network acceleration device; and a control unit that couples to the at least one network interface, the control unit comprising a storage medium that stores a first set of cost factors for a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to a third intermediate network acceleration device included within the second network, wherein the first set of cost factors include at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to the intermediate optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the second intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the third intermediate network acceleration device along the first path, and a second set of cost factors for a second path from the first intermediate network device to the third intermediate network device, wherein the second set of cost factors includes at least one direct optimization cost factor corresponding to the direct optimization capabilities made directly available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second path comprises a direct path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device that does not include any other intermediate network acceleration devices, wherein the control unit selects either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first set of cost factors and the second set of cost factors, and wherein the at least one network interface forwards the network traffic via the selected one of the first or second paths. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network system comprising:
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a first network that includes at least one endpoint device; a second network that includes at least one device; a first intermediate network acceleration device adjacent to the first network; a second intermediate network acceleration device adjacent to the second network; and a third intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the second intermediate network acceleration device along a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device and the second intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the first intermediate network acceleration device includes; at least one network interface that receives network traffic from the first network for delivery to the second network, a first communication from the third intermediate network acceleration device indicating intermediate optimization capabilities made available by the third intermediate network acceleration device, and a second communication from the second intermediate network acceleration device indicating direct optimization capabilities made available by the second intermediate network acceleration device; and a control unit that couples to the at least one network interface, the control unit comprising a storage medium that stores a first set of cost factors for a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the second intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the first set of cost factors include at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to the intermediate optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the third intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the second intermediate network acceleration device along the first path, and a second set of cost factors for a second path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the second intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second set of cost factors includes at least one direct optimization cost factor corresponding to the direct optimization capabilities made directly available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the second intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second path comprises a direct path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the second intermediate network acceleration device that does not include any other intermediate network acceleration devices, wherein the control unit selects either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first set of cost factors and the second set of cost factors, and wherein the at least one network interface forwards the network traffic via the selected one of the first or second paths. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:
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receive, with a first intermediate network acceleration device, network traffic from a first network for delivery to a second network; receive, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first communication from a second intermediate network acceleration device indicating intermediate optimization capabilities made available by the second intermediate network acceleration device; receive, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second communication from a third intermediate network acceleration device included in the second network indicating direct optimization capabilities made available by the third intermediate network acceleration device; determine, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a first set of cost factors for a first path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the first set of cost factors include at least one optimization cost factor corresponding to intermediate optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the second intermediate network acceleration device positioned between the first intermediate network acceleration device and the third intermediate network acceleration device along the first path; determine, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, a second set of cost factors for a second path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device, wherein the second set of cost factors includes at least one direct optimization cost factor corresponding to the direct optimization capabilities made available to the first intermediate network acceleration device by the third intermediate network acceleration device, and wherein the second path comprises a direct path from the first intermediate network acceleration device to the third intermediate network acceleration device that does not include any other intermediate network acceleration devices; select, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, either the first path or the second path over which to forward the network traffic based on the first set of cost factors and the second set of cost factors; and forward, with the first intermediate network acceleration device, the network traffic via the selected one of the first or second paths.
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Specification