Control channel compression upon congestion detection

A non-controller node in a network comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• a processor adapted, by the instructions, to cause the non-controller node to:
• generate a control packet;
• detect congestion on a first link in a control channel connecting the non-controller node to a controller of the network;
• responsive to detecting congestion, compress the control packet to form a compressed control packet;
• transmit the compressed control packet on the control channel;
• and
• transmit a notification of congestion to a second node in the network, the second node not being directly connected by the first link.

A method of operating a first non-controller node in a network, the method comprising:

• receiving a notification from a second non-controller node that is connected to the first non-controller node by a first link, the notification indicating that congestion has been detected on a second link not connected to the first non-controller node, the first and second link being part of a control channel connecting the first non-controller node to a controller of the network;
• generating a control packet;
• responsive to the receiving, compressing the control packet to form a compressed control packet;
• and
• transmitting the compressed control packet on the first link.

A first non-controller node in a network comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• a processor adapted, by the instructions, to cause the first non-controller node to:
• receive a notification from a second non-controller node that is connected to the first non-controller node by a first link, the notification indicating that congestion has been detected on a second link not connected to the first non-controller node, the first and second link being part of a control channel connecting the first non-controller node to a controller of the network;
• generate a control packet;
• compress the control packet to form a compressed control packet;
• and
• transmit the compressed control packet on the first link.

A method of managing for execution by a control node in a network, the network having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of links, the method comprising:

• receiving, from nodes among the plurality of nodes, congestion notifications for associated links among the plurality of links;
• updating a count of cases of congestion in the network;
• and
• responsive to determining that the count of cases of congestion exceeds a threshold, transmitting a control packet to a given node among the plurality of nodes, where the control packet contains instructions to the given node to implement compression on outgoing control packets.

A software defined networking controller in a network, the network having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of links, the software defined networking controller comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• a processor adapted, by the instructions, to:
• receive, from nodes among the plurality of nodes, congestion notifications for associated links among the plurality of links;
• update a count of cases of congestion in the network;
• and
• transmit a control packet to a given node among the plurality of nodes, where the control packet contains instructions to the given node to implement compression on outgoing control packets.