VORBrouter: A dynamic data routing system for Real-Time Seismic networks

Authors: Todd Hansen, Frank Vernon, Kent Lindquist, John Orcutt

Abstract: For anyone who has managed a moderately complex buffered real-time data transport system, the need for reliable adaptive data transport is clear. The ROADNet VORBrouter system, an extension to the ROADNet data catalog system [AGU-2003, Dynamic Dataflow Topology Monitoring for Real-time Seismic Networks], allows dynamic routing of real-time seismic data from sensor to end-user. Traditional networks consist of a series of data buffer computers with data transport interconnections configured by hand. This allows for arbitrarily complex data networks, which can often exceed full comprehension by network administrators, sometimes resulting in data loops or accidental data cutoff. In order to manage data transport systems in the event of a network failure, a network administrator must be called upon to change the data transport paths and to recover the missing data. Using VORBrouter, administrators can sleep at night while still providing 7/24 uninterupted data streams at realistic cost. This software package uses information from the ROADNet data catalog system to route packets around failed link outages and to new consumers in real-time.

Dynamic data routing protocols operating on top of the Antelope Data buffering layer allow authorized users to request data sets from their local buffer and to have them delivered from anywhere within the network of buffers. The VORBrouter software also allows for dynamic routing around network outages, and the elimination of duplicate data paths within the network, while maintaining the nearly lossless data transport features exhibited by the underlying Antelope system.

We present the design of the VORBrouter system, its features, limitations and some future research directions.