Addressing the large flow problem for equal cost multi-path in the datacenter

摘要

Method and apparatus for performing load spreading in a network are described. According to one embodiment, a request to allocate network resources for a flow is received from a load distribution module in an edge network element. The request includes a resource requirement for the flow. A path is selected from the currently available equal cost paths, and a path identifier value that represents the path selected is determined. The path identifier value is used by the nodes in the network to correctly perform multipath forwarding for the flow. The path identifier value that represents the path selected is communicated to the load distribution module in the edge network element, and is to be inserted by the edge network element into subsequent frames belonging to the flow to be used in subsequent forwarding decisions by nodes along the path selected.

主权项

1. A method implemented in a network resource arbiter for load spreading in a network having a set of nodes and links connecting the set of nodes to form a network topology, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, at the network resource arbiter from an edge network element, a request to allocate network resources for a flow between a given source node and a given destination node, wherein the request includes a resource requirement for the flow, and wherein the request contains a flow classification information indicating the flow being a large flow; selecting a path from the currently available equal cost paths between the given source node and the given destination node that has sufficient available resources to satisfy the resource requirement of the flow; determining a path identifier value that represents the path selected to be used to route the flow between the given source node and the given destination node via nodes along the path between the given source node and the given destination node, wherein the path identifier value is added; and communicating, to the edge network element, the path identifier value that represents the path selected, wherein the path identifier value is to be inserted by the edge network element into subsequent frames belonging to the flow to be used in subsequent forwarding decisions to be made by the nodes along the path selected based on the path identifier value.