Model affinity for consistent model selection in agentic loops (#827)

crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/llm/mod.rs

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use bytes::Bytes;
 use common::configuration::{FilterPipeline, ModelAlias};
-use common::consts::{ARCH_IS_STREAMING_HEADER, ARCH_PROVIDER_HINT_HEADER};
+use common::consts::{ARCH_IS_STREAMING_HEADER, ARCH_PROVIDER_HINT_HEADER, MODEL_AFFINITY_HEADER};
 use common::llm_providers::LlmProviders;
 use hermesllm::apis::openai::Message;
 use hermesllm::apis::openai_responses::InputParam;
@@ -94,6 +94,21 @@ async fn llm_chat_inner(
 
     let traceparent = extract_or_generate_traceparent(&request_headers);
 
+    // Session pinning: extract session ID and check cache before routing
+    let session_id: Option<String> = request_headers
+        .get(MODEL_AFFINITY_HEADER)
+        .and_then(|h| h.to_str().ok())
+        .map(|s| s.to_string());
+    let pinned_model: Option<String> = if let Some(ref sid) = session_id {
+        state
+            .router_service
+            .get_cached_route(sid)
+            .await
+            .map(|c| c.model_name)
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
     let full_qualified_llm_provider_url = format!("{}{}", state.llm_provider_url, request_path);
 
     // --- Phase 1: Parse and validate the incoming request ---
@@ -244,46 +259,65 @@ async fn llm_chat_inner(
             }
         };
 
-    // --- Phase 3: Route the request ---
-    let routing_span = info_span!(
-        "routing",
-        component = "routing",
-        http.method = "POST",
-        http.target = %request_path,
-        model.requested = %model_from_request,
-        model.alias_resolved = %alias_resolved_model,
-        route.selected_model = tracing::field::Empty,
-        routing.determination_ms = tracing::field::Empty,
-    );
-    let routing_result = match async {
-        set_service_name(operation_component::ROUTING);
-        router_chat_get_upstream_model(
-            Arc::clone(&state.router_service),
-            client_request,
-            &traceparent,
-            &request_path,
-            &request_id,
-            inline_routing_preferences,
-        )
-        .await
-    }
-    .instrument(routing_span)
-    .await
-    {
-        Ok(result) => result,
-        Err(err) => {
-            let mut internal_error = Response::new(full(err.message));
-            *internal_error.status_mut() = err.status_code;
-            return Ok(internal_error);
-        }
-    };
-
-    // Determine final model (router returns "none" when it doesn't select a specific model)
-    let router_selected_model = routing_result.model_name;
-    let resolved_model = if router_selected_model != "none" {
-        router_selected_model
+    // --- Phase 3: Route the request (or use pinned model from session cache) ---
+    let resolved_model = if let Some(cached_model) = pinned_model {
+        info!(
+            session_id = %session_id.as_deref().unwrap_or(""),
+            model = %cached_model,
+            "using pinned routing decision from cache"
+        );
+        cached_model
     } else {
-        alias_resolved_model.clone()
+        let routing_span = info_span!(
+            "routing",
+            component = "routing",
+            http.method = "POST",
+            http.target = %request_path,
+            model.requested = %model_from_request,
+            model.alias_resolved = %alias_resolved_model,
+            route.selected_model = tracing::field::Empty,
+            routing.determination_ms = tracing::field::Empty,
+        );
+        let routing_result = match async {
+            set_service_name(operation_component::ROUTING);
+            router_chat_get_upstream_model(
+                Arc::clone(&state.router_service),
+                client_request,
+                &traceparent,
+                &request_path,
+                &request_id,
+                inline_routing_preferences,
+            )
+            .await
+        }
+        .instrument(routing_span)
+        .await
+        {
+            Ok(result) => result,
+            Err(err) => {
+                let mut internal_error = Response::new(full(err.message));
+                *internal_error.status_mut() = err.status_code;
+                return Ok(internal_error);
+            }
+        };
+
+        let (router_selected_model, route_name) =
+            (routing_result.model_name, routing_result.route_name);
+        let model = if router_selected_model != "none" {
+            router_selected_model
+        } else {
+            alias_resolved_model.clone()
+        };
+
+        // Cache the routing decision so subsequent requests with the same session ID are pinned
+        if let Some(ref sid) = session_id {
+            state
+                .router_service
+                .cache_route(sid.clone(), model.clone(), route_name)
+                .await;
+        }
+
+        model
     };
     tracing::Span::current().record(tracing_llm::MODEL_NAME, resolved_model.as_str());
 

crates/brightstaff/src/handlers/routing_service.rs

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use bytes::Bytes;
 use common::configuration::{SpanAttributes, TopLevelRoutingPreference};
-use common::consts::REQUEST_ID_HEADER;
+use common::consts::{MODEL_AFFINITY_HEADER, REQUEST_ID_HEADER};
 use common::errors::BrightStaffError;
 use hermesllm::clients::SupportedAPIsFromClient;
 use hermesllm::ProviderRequestType;
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ struct RoutingDecisionResponse {
     models: Vec<String>,
     route: Option<String>,
     trace_id: String,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    session_id: Option<String>,
+    pinned: bool,
 }
 
 pub async fn routing_decision(
@@ -68,6 +71,11 @@ pub async fn routing_decision(
         .map(|s| s.to_string())
         .unwrap_or_else(|| uuid::Uuid::new_v4().to_string());
 
+    let session_id: Option<String> = request_headers
+        .get(MODEL_AFFINITY_HEADER)
+        .and_then(|h| h.to_str().ok())
+        .map(|s| s.to_string());
+
     let custom_attrs = collect_custom_trace_attributes(&request_headers, span_attributes.as_ref());
 
     let request_span = info_span!(
@@ -85,6 +93,7 @@ pub async fn routing_decision(
         request_path,
         request_headers,
         custom_attrs,
+        session_id,
     )
     .instrument(request_span)
     .await
@@ -97,6 +106,7 @@ async fn routing_decision_inner(
     request_path: String,
     request_headers: hyper::HeaderMap,
     custom_attrs: std::collections::HashMap<String, String>,
+    session_id: Option<String>,
 ) -> Result<Response<BoxBody<Bytes, hyper::Error>>, hyper::Error> {
     set_service_name(operation_component::ROUTING);
     opentelemetry::trace::get_active_span(|span| {
@@ -114,6 +124,34 @@ async fn routing_decision_inner(
         .unwrap_or("unknown")
         .to_string();
 
+    // Session pinning: check cache before doing any routing work
+    if let Some(ref sid) = session_id {
+        if let Some(cached) = router_service.get_cached_route(sid).await {
+            info!(
+                session_id = %sid,
+                model = %cached.model_name,
+                route = ?cached.route_name,
+                "returning pinned routing decision from cache"
+            );
+            let response = RoutingDecisionResponse {
+                models: vec![cached.model_name],
+                route: cached.route_name,
+                trace_id,
+                session_id: Some(sid.clone()),
+                pinned: true,
+            };
+            let json = serde_json::to_string(&response).unwrap();
+            let body = Full::new(Bytes::from(json))
+                .map_err(|never| match never {})
+                .boxed();
+            return Ok(Response::builder()
+                .status(StatusCode::OK)
+                .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
+                .body(body)
+                .unwrap());
+        }
+    }
+
     // Parse request body
     let raw_bytes = request.collect().await?.to_bytes();
 
@@ -152,7 +190,7 @@ async fn routing_decision_inner(
     };
 
     let routing_result = router_chat_get_upstream_model(
-        router_service,
+        Arc::clone(&router_service),
         client_request,
         &traceparent,
         &request_path,
@@ -163,10 +201,23 @@ async fn routing_decision_inner(
 
     match routing_result {
         Ok(result) => {
+            // Cache the result if session_id is present
+            if let Some(ref sid) = session_id {
+                router_service
+                    .cache_route(
+                        sid.clone(),
+                        result.model_name.clone(),
+                        result.route_name.clone(),
+                    )
+                    .await;
+            }
+
             let response = RoutingDecisionResponse {
                 models: result.models,
                 route: result.route_name,
                 trace_id,
+                session_id,
+                pinned: false,
             };
 
             info!(
@@ -329,6 +380,8 @@ mod tests {
             ],
             route: Some("code_generation".to_string()),
             trace_id: "abc123".to_string(),
+            session_id: Some("sess-abc".to_string()),
+            pinned: true,
         };
         let json = serde_json::to_string(&response).unwrap();
         let parsed: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
@@ -336,6 +389,8 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(parsed["models"][1], "openai/gpt-4o");
         assert_eq!(parsed["route"], "code_generation");
         assert_eq!(parsed["trace_id"], "abc123");
+        assert_eq!(parsed["session_id"], "sess-abc");
+        assert_eq!(parsed["pinned"], true);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -344,10 +399,14 @@ mod tests {
             models: vec!["none".to_string()],
             route: None,
             trace_id: "abc123".to_string(),
+            session_id: None,
+            pinned: false,
         };
         let json = serde_json::to_string(&response).unwrap();
         let parsed: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_str(&json).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(parsed["models"][0], "none");
         assert!(parsed["route"].is_null());
+        assert!(parsed.get("session_id").is_none());
+        assert_eq!(parsed["pinned"], false);
     }
 }

crates/brightstaff/src/main.rs

@@ -174,6 +174,9 @@ async fn init_app_state(
         .map(|p| p.name.clone())
         .unwrap_or_else(|| DEFAULT_ROUTING_LLM_PROVIDER.to_string());
 
+    let session_ttl_seconds = config.routing.as_ref().and_then(|r| r.session_ttl_seconds);
+    let session_max_entries = config.routing.as_ref().and_then(|r| r.session_max_entries);
+
     // Validate that top-level routing_preferences requires v0.4.0+.
     let config_version = parse_semver(&config.version);
     let is_v040_plus = config_version >= (0, 4, 0);
@@ -300,8 +303,22 @@ async fn init_app_state(
         format!("{llm_provider_url}{CHAT_COMPLETIONS_PATH}"),
         routing_model_name,
         routing_llm_provider,
+        session_ttl_seconds,
+        session_max_entries,
     ));
 
+    // Spawn background task to clean up expired session cache entries every 5 minutes
+    {
+        let router_service = Arc::clone(&router_service);
+        tokio::spawn(async move {
+            let mut interval = tokio::time::interval(std::time::Duration::from_secs(300));
+            loop {
+                interval.tick().await;
+                router_service.cleanup_expired_sessions().await;
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     let orchestrator_model_name: String = overrides
         .agent_orchestration_model
         .as_deref()

crates/brightstaff/src/router/llm.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc};
+use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc, time::Duration, time::Instant};
 
 use common::{
     configuration::TopLevelRoutingPreference,
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use super::router_model::{ModelUsagePreference, RoutingPreference};
 use hermesllm::apis::openai::Message;
 use hyper::header;
 use thiserror::Error;
+use tokio::sync::RwLock;
 use tracing::{debug, info};
 
 use super::http::{self, post_and_extract_content};
@@ -17,6 +18,17 @@ use super::router_model::RouterModel;
 
 use crate::router::router_model_v1;
 
+const DEFAULT_SESSION_TTL_SECONDS: u64 = 600;
+const DEFAULT_SESSION_MAX_ENTRIES: usize = 10_000;
+const MAX_SESSION_MAX_ENTRIES: usize = 10_000;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct CachedRoute {
+    pub model_name: String,
+    pub route_name: Option<String>,
+    pub cached_at: Instant,
+}
+
 pub struct RouterService {
     router_url: String,
     client: reqwest::Client,
@@ -24,6 +36,9 @@ pub struct RouterService {
     routing_provider_name: String,
     top_level_preferences: HashMap<String, TopLevelRoutingPreference>,
     metrics_service: Option<Arc<ModelMetricsService>>,
+    session_cache: RwLock<HashMap<String, CachedRoute>>,
+    session_ttl: Duration,
+    session_max_entries: usize,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
@@ -44,6 +59,8 @@ impl RouterService {
         router_url: String,
         routing_model_name: String,
         routing_provider_name: String,
+        session_ttl_seconds: Option<u64>,
+        session_max_entries: Option<usize>,
     ) -> Self {
         let top_level_preferences: HashMap<String, TopLevelRoutingPreference> = top_level_prefs
             .map_or_else(HashMap::new, |prefs| {
@@ -74,6 +91,12 @@ impl RouterService {
             router_model_v1::MAX_TOKEN_LEN,
         ));
 
+        let session_ttl =
+            Duration::from_secs(session_ttl_seconds.unwrap_or(DEFAULT_SESSION_TTL_SECONDS));
+        let session_max_entries = session_max_entries
+            .unwrap_or(DEFAULT_SESSION_MAX_ENTRIES)
+            .min(MAX_SESSION_MAX_ENTRIES);
+
         RouterService {
             router_url,
             client: reqwest::Client::new(),
@@ -81,6 +104,64 @@ impl RouterService {
             routing_provider_name,
             top_level_preferences,
             metrics_service,
+            session_cache: RwLock::new(HashMap::new()),
+            session_ttl,
+            session_max_entries,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Look up a cached routing decision by session ID.
+    /// Returns None if not found or expired.
+    pub async fn get_cached_route(&self, session_id: &str) -> Option<CachedRoute> {
+        let cache = self.session_cache.read().await;
+        if let Some(entry) = cache.get(session_id) {
+            if entry.cached_at.elapsed() < self.session_ttl {
+                return Some(entry.clone());
+            }
+        }
+        None
+    }
+
+    /// Store a routing decision in the session cache.
+    /// If at max capacity, evicts the oldest entry.
+    pub async fn cache_route(
+        &self,
+        session_id: String,
+        model_name: String,
+        route_name: Option<String>,
+    ) {
+        let mut cache = self.session_cache.write().await;
+        if cache.len() >= self.session_max_entries && !cache.contains_key(&session_id) {
+            if let Some(oldest_key) = cache
+                .iter()
+                .min_by_key(|(_, v)| v.cached_at)
+                .map(|(k, _)| k.clone())
+            {
+                cache.remove(&oldest_key);
+            }
+        }
+        cache.insert(
+            session_id,
+            CachedRoute {
+                model_name,
+                route_name,
+                cached_at: Instant::now(),
+            },
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// Remove all expired entries from the session cache.
+    pub async fn cleanup_expired_sessions(&self) {
+        let mut cache = self.session_cache.write().await;
+        let before = cache.len();
+        cache.retain(|_, entry| entry.cached_at.elapsed() < self.session_ttl);
+        let removed = before - cache.len();
+        if removed > 0 {
+            info!(
+                removed = removed,
+                remaining = cache.len(),
+                "cleaned up expired session cache entries"
+            );
         }
     }
 
@@ -198,3 +279,102 @@ impl RouterService {
         Ok(result)
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn make_router_service(ttl_seconds: u64, max_entries: usize) -> RouterService {
+        RouterService::new(
+            None,
+            None,
+            "http://localhost:12001/v1/chat/completions".to_string(),
+            "Arch-Router".to_string(),
+            "arch-router".to_string(),
+            Some(ttl_seconds),
+            Some(max_entries),
+        )
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cache_miss_returns_none() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(600, 100);
+        assert!(svc.get_cached_route("unknown-session").await.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cache_hit_returns_cached_route() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(600, 100);
+        svc.cache_route(
+            "s1".to_string(),
+            "gpt-4o".to_string(),
+            Some("code".to_string()),
+        )
+        .await;
+
+        let cached = svc.get_cached_route("s1").await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(cached.model_name, "gpt-4o");
+        assert_eq!(cached.route_name, Some("code".to_string()));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cache_expired_entry_returns_none() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(0, 100);
+        svc.cache_route("s1".to_string(), "gpt-4o".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+        assert!(svc.get_cached_route("s1").await.is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cleanup_removes_expired() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(0, 100);
+        svc.cache_route("s1".to_string(), "gpt-4o".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+        svc.cache_route("s2".to_string(), "claude".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+
+        svc.cleanup_expired_sessions().await;
+
+        let cache = svc.session_cache.read().await;
+        assert!(cache.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cache_evicts_oldest_when_full() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(600, 2);
+        svc.cache_route("s1".to_string(), "model-a".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(10)).await;
+        svc.cache_route("s2".to_string(), "model-b".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+
+        svc.cache_route("s3".to_string(), "model-c".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+
+        let cache = svc.session_cache.read().await;
+        assert_eq!(cache.len(), 2);
+        assert!(!cache.contains_key("s1"));
+        assert!(cache.contains_key("s2"));
+        assert!(cache.contains_key("s3"));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_cache_update_existing_session_does_not_evict() {
+        let svc = make_router_service(600, 2);
+        svc.cache_route("s1".to_string(), "model-a".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+        svc.cache_route("s2".to_string(), "model-b".to_string(), None)
+            .await;
+
+        svc.cache_route(
+            "s1".to_string(),
+            "model-a-updated".to_string(),
+            Some("route".to_string()),
+        )
+        .await;
+
+        let cache = svc.session_cache.read().await;
+        assert_eq!(cache.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(cache.get("s1").unwrap().model_name, "model-a-updated");
+    }
+}