Implementing a virtual tap in a virtual topology

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10291507-B2
Application number	US-201715431426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2017
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

Techniques for implementing a virtual tap in a virtual topology are described. A request to tap a particular link between a set of virtual topology entities (VTEs) is received. The particular link between the set of VTEs is mapped to a link between a set of instantiated entities in a physical topology. One of the instantiated elements implements a tapping function. Additionally or alternatively, a tapping element is instantiated and the tapping element implements the tapping function. The tapping element is not one of the set of instantiated entities. The tapping function includes: applying a tap filter to a set of data; replicating the data that passes the tap filter; and transmitting the replicated data to a virtual endpoint. The replicated data may be referred to as “tapped data.” A user interface engine presents information regarding the particular link between the set of VTEs based on the tapped data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause performance of operations comprising:
mapping a particular link between a set of virtual topology elements (VTEs) in a virtual topology to one or more links between a set of instantiated elements in a physical topology;
identifying a first set of data that is received by a first instantiated element, of the set of instantiated elements, and destined for a second instantiated element in the physical topology;
executing, by the first instantiated element, a first tapping function, wherein the first tapping function comprises:
replicating the first set of data received by the first instantiated element;
transmitting the replicated first set of data to a virtual endpoint; and

transmitting, by the first instantiated element, at least a portion of the first set of data to the second instantiated element.

2. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first tapping function further comprises:
prior to replicating the first set of data received by the first instantiated element: applying a tap filter to a superset of data, received by the first instantiated element and destined for the second instantiated element, to extract the first set of data from the superset of data.

3. The medium of claim 1 , wherein transmitting, by the first instantiated element, the portion of the first set of data to the second instantiated element comprises: applying a firewall filter to the first set of data to extract the portion of the first set of data.

4. The medium of claim 1 , wherein transmitting, by the first instantiated element, the portion of the first set of data to the second instantiated element comprises:
determining the portion of the first set of data to be transmitted based on a function of a VTE corresponding to the first instantiated element; and
transmitting the portion of the first set of data to the second instantiated element.

5. The medium of claim 4 , wherein the function of the VTE corresponding to the first instantiated element is specified in the virtual topology.

6. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first set of data is determined based on a function of a VTE corresponding to the first instantiated element.

7. The medium of claim 1 , wherein:
the operations further comprise:
identifying a second set of data that is received by a third instantiated element, of the set of instantiated elements, and destined for a fourth instantiated element in the physical topology;
executing, by the third instantiated element, a second tapping function, wherein the second tapping function comprises:
replicating the second set of data received by the third instantiated element;
transmitting the replicated second set of data to the virtual endpoint;

transmitting, by the third instantiated element, the second set of data to the fourth instantiated element; and

the replicated first set of data and the replicated second set of data are aggregated at the virtual endpoint.

8. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first tapping function further comprises:
generating metadata indicating that the replicated first set of data is associated with the first instantiated element; and
transmitting both the replicated first set of data and the metadata to the virtual endpoint.

9. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
transmitting the replicated first set of data to a tap aggregator.

10. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
presenting information regarding the particular link between the set of VTEs in the virtual topology based on the replicated first set of data.

11. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first tapping function does not modify any data being transmitted between the set of instantiated elements.

12. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first tapping function is executed by a middlebox associated with the first instantiated element.

13. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the first tapping function is executed by a gateway associated with the first instantiated element.

14. The medium of claim 1 , wherein the virtual endpoint is a virtual network interface.

15. The medium of claim 1 , wherein:
the first set of data is determined based on a function of a VTE corresponding to the first instantiated element;
the first tapping function further comprises:
prior to replicating the first set of data received by the first instantiated element: applying a tap filter to a superset of data, received by the first instantiated element and destined for the second instantiated element, to extract the first set of data from the superset of data;
generating metadata indicating that the replicated first set of data is associated with the first instantiated element;
transmitting both the replicated first set of data and the metadata to the virtual endpoint;

the first tapping function does not modify any data being transmitted between the set of instantiated elements;
the first tapping function is executed by a middlebox associated with the first instantiated element;
the virtual endpoint comprises a virtual network interface;
the operations further comprise:
identifying a second set of data that is received by a third instantiated element, of the set of instantiated elements, and destined for a fourth instantiated element in the physical topology;
executing, by the third instantiated element, a second tapping function, wherein the second tapping function comprises:
replicating the second set of data received by the third instantiated element;
transmitting the replicated second set of data to the virtual endpoint;

transmitting, by the third instantiated element, the second set of data to the fourth instantiated element;
transmitting the replicated first set of data and the replicated second set of data to a tap aggregator; and
presenting information regarding the particular link between the set of VTEs in the virtual topology based on the replicated first set of data.

16. A system comprising:
at least one device including a hardware processor; and
the system is configured to perform operations comprising:
mapping a particular link between a set of virtual topology elements (VTEs) in a virtual topology to one or more links between a set of instantiated elements in a physical topology;
identifying a first set of data that is received by a first instantiated element, of the set of instantiated elements, and destined for a second instantiated element in the physical topology;
executing, by the first instantiated element, a first tapping function, wherein the first tapping function comprises:
replicating the first set of data received by the first instantiated element;
transmitting the replicated first set of data to a virtual endpoint; and

transmitting, by the first instantiated element, at least a portion of the first set of data to the second instantiated element.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first tapping function further comprises:
prior to replicating the first set of data received by the first instantiated element: applying a tap filter to a superset of data, received by the first instantiated element and destined for the second instantiated element, to extract the first set of data from the superset of data.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause performance of operations comprising:
mapping a particular link between a set

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Cohn Daniel
• Vincent Pradeep

Classifications

• H04L41/122

  of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV] · CPC title

• H04L41/12

  Discovery or management of network topologies · CPC title

• H04L43/028

  by filtering · CPC title

• H04L43/12 Primary

  Network monitoring probes · CPC title