Network traffic preemption using intermittent encapsulation

Abstract

An example method for intermittent encapsulation of preemptable network traffic at a network node can include receiving a frame at the network node and determining if the frame is a preemptable frame. A preemptable frame is a frame that can be preempted, suspended, interrupted, etc. after transmission begins in order to transmit a preemptive frame. If the frame is a preemptable frame, the method can include determining if the preemptable frame satisfies a selective encapsulation rule. If the preemptable frame does not satisfy the selective encapsulation rule, the method can include transmitting the preemptable frame from the network node without encapsulation. Alternatively, if the preemptable frame satisfies the selective encapsulation rule, the method can include encapsulating and transmitting the preemptable frame from the network node. The preemptable frame can be encapsulated with a preemption header and/or a preemption trailer.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for intermittent encapsulation of preemptable network traffic at a network node, comprising:
 receiving network traffic at the network node;   determining if a frame within the network traffic is a preemptable frame;   if the frame is a preemptable frame, determining if the preemptable frame satisfies a selective encapsulation rule, wherein the selective encapsulation rule comprises a frame length;   if the preemptable frame is less than or equal to a specified frame length, transmitting the preemptable frame from the network node without altering the preemptable frame; and   if the preemptable frame is greater than the specified frame length, encapsulating the preemptable frame by adding data to the preemptable frame and transmitting the encapsulated preemptable frame from the network node, wherein the added data is at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, and wherein application of the selective encapsulation rule reduces the aggregate encapsulation overhead for the network traffic that is preemptable.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the preemption trailer comprises at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a preempted frame at the network node;   splitting the preempted frame into a plurality of frame fragments;   encapsulating each of the frame fragments; and   transmitting each of the encapsulated frame fragments from the network node, wherein each of the frame fragments is respectively encapsulated with at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, the preemption trailer comprising at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the preemption trailer of a first frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the start code representing a first frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the preemption trailer of a last frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the end code representing a last frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the preemption trailer of an intermediate frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the sequence number. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified frame length is 128 bytes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified frame length is 1500 bytes. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium for intermittent encapsulation of preemptable network traffic having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a network node, cause the network node to:
 receive network traffic;   determine if a frame within the network traffic is a preemptable frame;   if the frame is a preemptable frame, determine if the preemptable frame satisfies a selective encapsulation rule, wherein the selective encapsulation rule comprises a frame length;   if the preemptable frame is less than or equal to a specified frame length, transmit the preemptable frame without altering the preemptable frame; and   if the preemptable frame is greater than the specified frame length, encapsulate the preemptable frame by adding data to the preemptable frame and transmit the encapsulated preemptable frame, wherein the added data is at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, and wherein application of the selective encapsulation rule reduces the aggregate encapsulation overhead for the network traffic that is preemptable.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the preemption trailer comprises at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , having further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the network node, cause the network node to:
 receive a preempted frame;   split the preempted frame into a plurality of frame fragments;   encapsulate each of the frame fragments; and   transmit each of the encapsulated frame fragments, wherein each of the frame fragments is respectively encapsulated with at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, the preemption trailer comprising at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the preemption trailer of a first frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the start code representing a first frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the preemption trailer of a last frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the end code representing a last frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the preemption trailer of an intermediate frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the sequence number. 
     
     
         15 . A network node for intermittent encapsulation of preemptable network traffic, comprising:
 a processing unit; and   a memory communicatively connected to the processing unit, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to:   receive network traffic;   determine if a frame within the network traffic is a preemptable frame;   if the frame is a preemptable frame, determine if the preemptable frame satisfies a selective encapsulation rule, wherein the selective encapsulation rule comprises a frame length;   if the preemptable frame is less than or equal to a specified frame length, transmit the preemptable frame without altering the preemptable frame; and   if the preemptable frame is greater than the specified frame length, encapsulate the preemptable frame by adding data to the preemptable frame and transmit the encapsulated preemptable frame, wherein the added data is at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, and wherein application of the selective encapsulation rule reduces the aggregate encapsulation overhead for the network traffic that is preemptable.   
     
     
         16 . The network node of  claim 15 , wherein the preemption trailer comprises at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number. 
     
     
         17 . The network node of  claim 15 , wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to:
 receive a preempted frame;   split the preempted frame into a plurality of frame fragments;   encapsulate each of the frame fragments; and   transmit each of the encapsulated frame fragments, wherein each of the frame fragments is respectively encapsulated with at least one of a preemption header or a preemption trailer, the preemption trailer comprising at least one of a start code, an end code, or a sequence number.   
     
     
         18 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the preemption trailer of a first frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the start code representing a first frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         19 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the preemption trailer of a last frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the end code representing a last frame and the sequence number. 
     
     
         20 . The network node of  claim 17 , wherein the preemption trailer of an intermediate frame fragment of the preempted frame comprises the sequence number.