Network configuration health check in virtualized computing environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10171302-B2
Application number	US-201615185039-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 17, 2016
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

An example method is provided for a host to perform network configuration health check in a virtualized computing environment. The method may include selecting a source NIC and one or more destination NICs, based on a first network configuration of the host, generating one or more unicast probe packets that are addressed from the source NIC to the respective one or more destination NICs, and sending the one or more unicast probe packets to the respective one or more destination NICs from the source NIC via a physical switch connected to the host. The method may also include in response to receiving the one or more unicast probe packets from the physical switch, determining that there is a match between the first network configuration and a second network configuration, but otherwise, determining that there is a mismatch between the first network configuration and second network configuration.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for a host to perform network configuration health check in a virtualized computing environment, wherein the host includes multiple network interface controllers (NICs), the method comprising:
selecting, from the multiple NICs, a source NIC and one or more destination NICs;
based on a first network configuration of the host, generating one or more unicast probe packets that are addressed from the source NIC to the respective one or more destination NICs;
sending the one or more unicast probe packets to the respective one or more destination NICs from the source NIC via a physical switch connected to the host;
determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and a second network configuration of the physical switch based on whether the respective one or more destination NICs received the one or more unicast probe packets from the physical switch; and
generating a result of the network configuration health check based on the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
in response to determination that there is a mismatch between the first network configuration and second network configuration at a first iteration of the network configuration health check, performing a second iteration using a second source NIC and one or more second destination NICs, wherein the second source NIC is selected from the one or more destination NICs of the first iteration.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network configuration of the host includes a virtual local area network (VLAN) configuration of a virtual switch of the host and generating the one or more unicast probe packets comprises:
based on the VLAN configuration, generating the one or more unicast probe packets to each include an identifier of the VLAN.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first network configuration of the host includes a maximum transmission unit (MTU) configuration of a virtual switch of the host and generating the one or more unicast probe packets comprises:
based on the MTU configuration, generating the one or more unicast probe packets to each have a size of the MTU.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch comprises:
based on a virtual local area network (VLAN) configuration and a maximum transmission unit (MTU) configuration of a virtual switch of the host, generating a broadcast packet that includes an identifier of the VLAN and has a smaller size than the MTU; and
sending the broadcast packet from the source NIC to the physical switch.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch comprises:
in response to receiving the broadcast packet from the physical switch via the one or more destination NICs, determining that the second network configuration of the physical switch matches with the VLAN configuration of the virtual switch, but does not match with the MTU configuration of the virtual switch.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch comprises:
resending the one or more unicast probe packets to the respective one or more destination NICs from the source NIC via the physical switch; and
in response to not receiving the one or more resent unicast probe packets, determining that there is a mismatch between the first network configuration and second network configuration.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes a set of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor of a host, cause the processor to perform a method of network configuration health check, wherein the host includes multiple network interface controllers (NICs), the method comprising:
selecting, from the multiple NICs, a source NIC and one or more destination NICs;
based on a first network configuration of the host, generating one or more unicast probe packets that are addressed from the source NIC to the respective one or more destination NICs;
sending the one or more unicast probe packets to the respective one or more destination NICs from the source NIC via a physical switch connected to the host;
determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and a second network configuration of the physical switch, based on whether the respective one or more destination NICs received the one or more unicast probe packets from the physical switch; and
generating a result of the network configuration health check based on the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and a second network configuration of the physical switch.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
in response to determination that there is a mismatch between the first network configuration and second network configuration at a first iteration of the network configuration health check, performing a second iteration using a second source NIC and one or more second destination NICs, wherein the second source NIC is selected from the one or more destination NICs of the first iteration.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first network configuration of the host includes a virtual local area network (VLAN) configuration of a virtual switch of the host and generating the one or more unicast probe packets comprises:
based on the VLAN configuration, generating the one or more unicast probe packets to each include an identifier of the VLAN.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first network configuration of the host includes a maximum transmission unit (MTU) configuration of a virtual switch of the host and generating the one or more unicast probe packets comprises:
based on the MTU configuration, generating the one or more unicast probe packets to each have a size of the MTU.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch comprises:
based on a virtual local area network (VLAN) configuration and a maximum transmission unit (MTU) configuration of a virtual switch of the host, generating a broadcast packet that includes an identifier of the VLAN and has a smaller size than the MTU; and
sending the broadcast packet from the source NIC to the physical switch.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the determining whether there is a match between the first network configuration of the host and the second network configuration of the physical switch comprises:
in response to receiving the broadcast packet from the physical switch via the one or more destination NICs, determining that the second network configuration of the physical switch matches with the VLAN configuration of the virtual switch, but does not match with the MTU configuration of the virtual switch.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the determining whether there is a matc

Assignees

• Nicira Inc

Inventors

• Jiang Jingchun
• Ye Benli
• Han Donghai

Classifications

• H04L12/4641

  Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272) · CPC title

• H04L41/0866 Primary

  Checking the configuration · CPC title

• H04L5/0048

  Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver (allocation of control signalling H04L5/0053; use of control signalling H04L5/0091) · CPC title

• H04L49/25

  Routing or path finding in a switch fabric · CPC title

• H04L41/40

  using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities · CPC title