METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING PACKETS IN THE NETWORK

• US 20100174740A1
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: H3C Technologies (USA) Company Limited (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Inventors: Ge, Changzhong
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/741 Routing in networks with a plurality of addressing schemes, e.g. with both IPv4 and IPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for packet transmission in the network. When the network device receives data packets from the first user, the network device extracts and saves the data encapsulated in the data packets and then forwards the packets according to the destination addresses of the data packets. When it receives the request from a second user for the data mentioned above, it encapsulates the saved data in data packets and sends the data packets to the second user. With the present invention deployed, the uploaded data packets are saved on network devices and can be directly transmitted to users requesting them. In this way, the present invention avoids repeated traffic upload, reduces upload traffic in the network, decreases network bandwidth occupied by traffic, and thus improves the overall network performance.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for processing data download messages in a peer-to-peer network using a network device, the method comprising:

receiving a data download request message from a download requester, the data download request message containing a download requester identifier, a download provider identifier and a first data segment identifier;

querying a segment table, stored in a storage unit of the network device, for a first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier;

determining whether the first data segment is stored in the segment table;

sending the download requester a response message containing the first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier; and

dropping the data download request message.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sending the data download request message to a download provider corresponding to the download provider identifier in the data download request message.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a data download response message from a download provider, the data download response message containing the download requester identifier, the download provider identifier, a second data segment identifier, and a second data segment corresponding to the second data segment identifier;

querying the segment table for the second data segment in the data download response message;

determining whether the second data segment is stored in the segment table;

storing the second segment identifier and the second data segment into the segment table when determining that the segment table does not contain the second data segment; and

forwarding the data download response message to the download requester corresponding to the download requester identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving one or more data download response messages, each data download response message containing the download requester identifier, the download provider identifier, the second data segment identifier, a data sub-segment identifier, and a data sub-segment corresponding to the data sub-segment identifier wherein the second data segment includes one or more data sub-segments, each of the one or more data sub-segments corresponds to one data sub-segment identifier;

buffering each data sub-segment contained in each corresponding data download response message; and

combining the one or more buffered data sub-segments into the second data segment.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising storing a latest visit time of the second data segment in the segment table, wherein the latest visit time of the second data segment in the segment table is the time of receiving the data download response message.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

configuring a segment aging time and a segment table traversal period threshold;

comparing the segment aging time to the difference between a current time and the latest visit time when the set traversal period reaches a value equal to the segment table traversal period threshold; and

deleting the second data segment from the segment table when the difference between a current time and the latest visit time is greater than the segment aging time.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

configuring a storage capacity threshold for the segment table wherein the segment table includes one or more stored data segments, each stored data segment having a corresponding latest visit time;

comparing current storage capacity to the storage capacity threshold;

selecting an oldest stored data segment from the one or more stored data segments based on the latest arrival time for each stored data segment, when the current storage capacity is greater than the storage capacity threshold; and

deleting the oldest stored data segment from the segment table.

22. An apparatus for processing data download messages in a peer-to-peer network, the apparatus comprising:

a storage unit configured to store a segment table, wherein the segment table includes one or more data segment identifiers, one or more data segments each corresponding to one data segment identifier from the one or more data segment identifiers, and a mapping between the one or more data segment identifiers and the one or more data segments;

a control and processing unit configured to;

receive a data download request message from a download requester, the data download request message containing a download requester identifier, a download provider identifier, and a first data segment identifier,

query the segment table for a first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier in the data download request message,

determine whether the first data segment is stored in the segment table;

access the first data segment from the segment table stored on the storage unit;

send a first response message containing the download requester identifier, the download provider identifier, the first data segment identifier, and the first data segment, and

drop the received data download request message.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the control and processing unit is further configured to:

receive a data download response message from a download provider, the data download response message containing the download requester identifier, the download provider identifier, a second data segment identifier, and a second data segment,

query the segment table for the second data segment,

determine whether the second data segment is stored in the segment table; and

store the second data segment into the segment table.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a message tracing unit configured to;

receive the data download request message;

send a first query request to a segment table maintaining unit, the query request containing the first data segment identifier,

receive a first query success message containing the first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier from the segment table maintaining unit,

send the first data segment to the segment transmitting unit, and

drop the data download request message.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

a segment table maintaining unit configured to;

receive the first query request from the message tracing unit, the first query containing the first data segment identifier,

query the segment table for the first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier,

determine whether the first data segment is stored in the segment table;

send the first query success message to the message tracing unit when the first data segment is stored in the segment table, the first query success message containing the first data segment; and

send a first query failure message to the message tracing unit when the first data segment is not stored in the segment table.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the message tracing unit is further configured to:

receive the first query failure message from the segment table maintaining unit; and

send the data download request message to the download provider corresponding to the data download provider identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the message tracing unit is further configured to:

receive the data download response message;

send a second query request to a segment table maintaining unit, the query request containing the second data segment identifier,

receive a second query success message from the segment table maintaining unit,

receive a second query failure message from the segment table maintaining unit;

send a first add request to the segment table maintaining unit, the add request containing the second data segment identifier and the second data segment, and

send the data download response message to the download requester.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the segment table maintaining unit is further configured to:

receive the second query request from the message tracing unit, the query request containing the second data segment identifier,

query the segment table for the second data segment corresponding to the second data segment identifier,

determine whether the second data segment is stored in the segment table;

send the second query success message to the message tracing unit when the second data segment is stored in the segment table, the second query success message containing the second data segment; and

send the second query failure message to the message tracing unit when the second data segment is not stored in the segment table;

receive the first add request from the message tracing unit, the add request containing the second data segment identifier and the request data segment; and

store the second data segment identifier and the second data segment in a second add request and send the second add request to the segment table.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

a segment transmitting unit configured to receive the first data segment from the message tracing unit and send the first response message containing the first data segment to the download requester corresponding to the download requester identifier.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the message tracing unit is further configured to:

receive one or more data download response messages, each containing the download requester identifier, the download provider identifier, the second data segment identifier, a data sub-segment identifier, and a data sub-segment corresponding to the data sub-segment identifier wherein the second data segment includes one or more data sub-segments, each of the one or more data sub-segments corresponds to one data sub-segment identifier;

buffer each data sub-segment contained in each corresponding data download response message;

combine the one or more buffered data sub-segments into the second data segment; and

sends the third add request containing the second data segment identifier and the second data segment to the segment table maintaining unit.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the message tracing unit is further configured to:

receive the data download request message from the download requester, the data download request message further containing a first data sub-segment identifier;

send a transmit request to the segment transmitting unit, the transmit request containing the first data sub-segment identifier.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the segment transmitting unit is further configured to:

receive the transmit request from the message tracing unit, the transmit request containing the first data sub-segment identifier;

send a second response message containing a first data sub-segment corresponding to the first data sub-segment identifier.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the segment table maintaining unit is further configured to:

store the current time as a first latest arrival time in the segment table for the first data segment corresponding to the first data segment identifier in the data download request message when sending the first query success to the message tracing unit; and

store the current time as a second latest arrival time in the segment table for the second data segment corresponding to the second data segment identifier in the data download response message when sending the second add request to the segment table.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a first segment table aging unit operable to:

configure a segment aging time and a segment table traversal period threshold;

send a time query request containing a queried data segment identifier to the segment table maintaining unit;

receive a queried latest time arrival for the queried data segment corresponding to the queried data segment identifier from the segment table maintaining unit;

compare the segment aging time to the difference between a current time and the queried latest visit time of the data segment when a set traversal period reaches a value equal to the segment table traversal period threshold; and

send a first delete request to the segment table maintaining unit, the first delete request containing a delete data segment identifier corresponding to the queried data segment identifier.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the segment table maintaining unit is further configured to:

receive the time query request containing the queried data segment identifier from the first segment table aging unit;

send the queried latest time arrival for the queried data segment corresponding to the queried data segment identifier to the first segment aging unit;

receive the first delete request containing delete data segment identifier; and

deletes the delete data segment corresponding to the delete data segment identifier from segment table.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprises a second segment table aging unit operable to:

configure a storage capacity threshold for the segment table wherein the segment table includes one or more stored data segments, each stored data segment associated with a latest visit time;

compare current storage capacity to the storage capacity threshold;

select an oldest stored data segment from the one or more stored data segments based on the latest arrival time for each stored data segment when the current storage capacity exceeds the storage capacity threshold; and

send a second delete request to the segment maintaining unit, the second delete request containing an oldest data segment identifier corresponding to the oldest stored data segment.

37. A method for processing packet transmission on a network device, the method comprising:

receiving a data packet from a first user across a network, the data packet containing a destination address and encapsulated data;

extracting the encapsulated data from the data packet;

storing the data in a storage unit on the network device; and

forwarding the data packet to a destination based on the destination address using one or more communication protocols;

wherein the one or more communication protocols are selected from the group consisting of data link layer protocols and network layer protocols.

38. A network device that forwards a data packet across a network, the network device comprising:

a data processing module configured to extract data from the data packet and forwards the data packet based on a destination address, wherein the data packet includes the destination address; and

a monitoring and responding module configured to monitor a plurality of data requests received by the network device from one or more users, access data saved in a storage unit, encapsulate the data into the data packet, and send the data packet to the one or more users.

39. A method for processing data download messages in a network, the method comprising:

receiving a download response message containing a data segment by an access device located at an edge of the network, from a core-edge direction to a first client, wherein the access device provides access service for at least two clients;

determining whether the data segment is cached in a storage unit of the access device;

caching the data segment in the storage unit of the access device when the data segment is determined not to be cached in the storage unit of the access device;

receiving a download request message from a second client from an edge-core direction to a core of the network, the download request message containing a data segment identifier;

determining whether the data segment corresponding to the data segment identifier is cached in the storage unit of the access device;

forwarding a download response message to the second client, the download response message containing the data segment corresponding to the data segment identifier; and

dropping the download request message.