Shortcutting Fast Failover Routes in the Data Plane

TL;DR

This paper introduces ShortCut, a data plane-based method to improve fast reroute mechanisms by avoiding loops and detours, thereby reducing packet loss and enhancing network availability during link failures.

Contribution

ShortCut is a novel, topology-independent approach that leverages data plane programmability to eliminate loops in fast failover routes, outperforming traditional control plane convergence methods.

Findings

ShortCut reduces packet loss during link failures.

It outperforms existing FRR mechanisms in simulations.

ShortCut is topology-independent and compatible with various FRR types.

Abstract

In networks, availability is of paramount importance. As link failures are disruptive, modern networks in turn provide Fast ReRoute (FRR) mechanisms to rapidly restore connectivity. However, existing FRR approaches heavily impact performance until the slower convergence protocols kick in. The fast failover routes commonly involve unnecessary loops and detours, disturbing other traffic while causing costly packet loss. In this paper, we make a case for augmenting FRR mechanisms to avoid such inefficiencies. We introduce ShortCut that routes the packets in a loop free fashion, avoiding costly detours and decreasing link load. ShortCut achieves this by leveraging data plane programmability: when a loop is locally observed, it can be removed by short-cutting the respective route parts. As such, ShortCut is topology-independent and agnostic to the type of FRR currently deployed. Our first experimental simulations show that ShortCut can outperform control plane convergence mechanisms; moreover avoiding loops and keeping packet loss minimal opposed to existing FRR mechanisms.