Improving the bandwidth of the self-hosted LMS datacenter by implementing an algorithm for dynamic bandwidth aware Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP)

Abstract

Reliable network connectivity is an absolute requirement for running an online Learning Management System. This is particularly important for self-hosted LMS and the growing number of users who need a reliable and uninterrupted connection to the server. Many self-hosted systems are fraught with low bandwidth and its associated poor quality of service. Link Aggregation Control Protocol is one of the techniques that can effectively provide network link reliability and improved bandwidth at a very reduced cost. Link Aggregation Systems combine two or more links into one logical link having a single IP address. Even though an SDN LACP can improve link bandwidth, it often results in link redundancy. Therefore, this research set out to create and implement an algorithm that will allocate network bandwidth according to the dynamic behaviours of the LMS application. The dynamic bandwidth-aware LACP system was simulated for 2-LAG and 4-LAG setups using the SDN Ryu controller. The simulation results show that LACP is indeed inexpensive yet effective in increasing link bandwidth and fault tolerance. However, the efficiency of the system depended on the number of links aggregated. Whilst the algorithm was excellent in improving bandwidth assurance and QoS for the 2-LAG LACP setup, the results obtained from the 4-LAG LACP setup show that as the number of aggregated links increases, delays and packets retransmission rate also increases. This suggests that the number of links that should form a LAG should be carefully selected according to the SDN controllers’ ability to fully utilise all aggregated links to avoid link redundancy as observed in the 4-LAG LACP simulation results.