System and method for layer 3 ring protection with adaptive bandwidth microwave links in a network environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2015382229-A1
Application number	US-201514844448-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Mar 20, 2013
Publication date	Dec 31, 2015
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is provided in one example and includes receiving a current bandwidth characteristic for a link, where the current bandwidth characteristic is determined under fading conditions associated with signal propagation on the link. The method can also include calculating a new cost for the link that is different from a nominal cost associated with a nominal bandwidth of the link without the fading conditions. The method could also include routing at least a portion of a plurality of flows that are to traverse the link away from the link based, at least in part, on the new cost. Another example method includes receiving the current bandwidth characteristic for the link, comparing the current bandwidth characteristic with a preconfigured low watermark corresponding to a class-specific MTR topology associated with a class of traffic traversing the link, and removing the link from the MTR topology based on the current bandwidth characteristic.

First claim

1 .- 35 . (canceled)

36 . A method, comprising:
receiving a current bandwidth characteristic for a microwave link in a wireless network, the current bandwidth characteristic being determined under fading conditions associated with signal propagation on the microwave link, the current bandwidth characteristic decreasing in discrete steps under the fading conditions according to a microwave modulation scheme; comparing the current bandwidth characteristic with a preconfigured low watermark corresponding to a class-specific multi-topology routing (MTR) topology associated with a class of traffic traversing the microwave link; and removing the microwave link from the MTR topology if the current bandwidth characteristic is lower than the low watermark.

37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:
if the bandwidth characteristic is higher than the low watermark, calculating a new cost for the microwave link for the class of traffic, the new cost being different from a nominal cost associated with a nominal bandwidth of the microwave link without fading conditions; and routing at least a portion of a plurality of flows of the class of traffic that are to traverse the microwave link away from the microwave link based, at least in part, on the new cost.

38 . The method of claim 36 , wherein no action relative to the microwave link is performed if the current bandwidth characteristic is higher than a preconfigured high watermark for the class-specific MTR topology, the high watermark being higher than the low watermark.

39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein a plurality of different high watermarks are configured corresponding to respective class-specific MTR topologies.

40 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising adjusting a link cost of the microwave link when the current bandwidth characteristic is between the low watermark and the high watermark.

41 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising routing substantially all flows of the class of traffic away from the microwave link.

42 . The method of claim 36 , wherein a plurality of different low watermarks are configured corresponding to respective class-specific MTR topologies.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the plurality of different low watermarks are configured according to traffic flows appropriate for different classes of traffic.

44 . The method of claim 36 , wherein voice belongs to a first class of traffic, data belongs to a second class of traffic, and video belongs to a third class of traffic.

45 . The method of claim 36 , wherein the microwave link is removed from the MTR topology corresponding to a first class of traffic, wherein the microwave link is not removed from another MTR topology corresponding to a different second class of traffic.

46 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising calculating new routes for traffic traversing the MTR topology when the microwave link is removed from the MTR topology.

47 . One or more non-transitory media encoding logic that includes instructions for execution, which when executed by a processor is operable to perform operations, comprising:
receiving a current bandwidth characteristic for a microwave link in a wireless network, the current bandwidth characteristic being determined under fading conditions associated with signal propagation on the microwave link, the current bandwidth characteristic decreasing in discrete steps under the fading conditions according to a microwave modulation scheme; comparing the current bandwidth characteristic with a preconfigured low watermark corresponding to a class-specific MTR topology associated with a class of traffic traversing the microwave link; and removing the microwave link from the MTR topology if the current bandwidth characteristic is lower than the low watermark.

48 . The media of claim 47 , wherein the operations further comprise:
if the bandwidth characteristic is higher than the low watermark, calculating a new cost for the microwave link for the class of traffic, the new cost being different from a nominal cost associated with a nominal bandwidth of the microwave link without fading conditions; and routing at least a portion of a plurality of flows of the class of traffic that are to traverse the microwave link away from the microwave link based, at least in part, on the new cost.

49 . The media of claim 47 , wherein no action relative to the microwave link is performed if the current bandwidth characteristic is higher than a preconfigured high watermark for the class-specific MTR topology, the high watermark being higher than the low watermark.

50 . The media of claim 47 , wherein the operations further comprise routing substantially all flows of the class of traffic away from the microwave link.

51 . The media of claim 47 , wherein a plurality of different low watermarks are configured corresponding to respective class-specific MTR topologies.

52 . An apparatus, comprising:
a memory element configured to store instructions; a processor coupled to the memory; and a ring protection module, wherein the processor is operable to execute the instructions such that the apparatus is configured for:
receiving a current bandwidth characteristic for a microwave link in a wireless network, the current bandwidth characteristic being determined under fading conditions associated with signal propagation on the microwave link, the current bandwidth characteristic decreasing in discrete steps under the fading conditions according to a microwave modulation scheme;
comparing the current bandwidth characteristic with a preconfigured low watermark corresponding to a class-specific MTR topology associated with a class of traffic traversing the microwave link; and
removing the microwave link from the MTR topology if the current bandwidth characteristic is lower than the low watermark.

53 . The apparatus of claim 52 , further configured for:
if the bandwidth characteristic is higher than the low watermark, calculating a new cost for the microwave link for the class of traffic, the new cost being different from a nominal cost associated with a nominal bandwidth of the microwave link without fading conditions; and routing at least a portion of a plurality of flows of the class of traffic that are to traverse the microwave link away from the microwave link based, at least in part, on the new cost.

54 . The apparatus of claim 52 , wherein no action relative to the microwave link is performed if the current bandwidth characteristic is higher than a preconfigured high watermark for the class-specific MTR topology, the high watermark being higher than the low watermark.

55 . The apparatus of claim 52 , further configured for routing substantially all flows of the class of traffic away from the microwave link.

56 . The apparatus of claim 52 , wherein a plurality of different low watermarks are configured corresponding to respective class-specific MTR topologies.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bhandari Shwetha Subray
• Salam Samer
• Jayaraman Kannan
• Saproo Arvind

Classifications

• H04L45/03

  by updating link state protocols · CPC title

• H04W28/0236 Primary

  radio quality, e.g. interference, losses or delay · CPC title

• H04W40/12 Primary

  based on transmission quality or channel quality · CPC title

• H04L45/02

  Topology update or discovery · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title