Routing protocols exploiting queue information for deterministic networks

Abstract

Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) provides mechanisms for strictly controlling network latency, jitter, and packet loss in LAN environments. These technologies enable various applications, including industrial automation and professional audio/video bridging. Current TSN network architectures heavily rely on a centralized control model inspired by Software-Defined Networking (SDN). While this approach works well for small-scale L2 TSN networks, it is not feasible for larger-scale L3 deterministic networks involving multiple network segments and routers. This paper proposes and evaluates distributed mechanisms for Deterministic Networking (DetNet) that enable: i) the discovery of priority queue information using a link-state protocol or an exploration-based approach, ii) the planning of network paths using network calculus based on available queue information, and iii) a distributed signaling mechanism for configuring the data plane of the deterministic network. Simulations demonstrate the potential of these protocols in large-scale networks and validate their bounded delay and packet loss.