Servicing packets in a virtual network and a software-defined network (SDN)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11088872-B2
Application number	US-201916596572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and logic configured to designate one of a plurality of endpoint virtual network identifiers (EPVNIDs) for each endpoint device in a network, wherein each EPVNID is configured to be shared by one or more endpoint devices, designate a common waypoint virtual network identifier (WPVNID) for all transparent waypoint devices in the network which perform a same function, designate a unique WPVNID for each routed waypoint device in the network, designate a common virtual network identifier (VNID) for all virtual switches in a single virtual network, wherein a different VNID is designated for each virtual network, and create a service chain table comprising each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network individually correlated with at least a pair of VNIDs: a source VNID and a destination VNID, based on one or more policies affecting application of services to packets in the network.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising a processor and logic integrated with the processor, executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic being configured to cause the processor to:
designate one of a plurality of endpoint virtual network identifiers (EPVNIDs) for each endpoint device in a network, wherein each EPVNID is configured to be shared by one or more endpoint devices;
designate a common waypoint virtual network identifier (WPVNID) for all transparent waypoint devices in the network which perform the same function;
designate a unique WPVNID for each routed waypoint device in the network;
designate a common virtual network identifier (VNID) for all virtual switches in a single virtual network, wherein a different VNID is designated for each virtual network; and
create a service chain table comprising each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network individually correlated with at least a source VNID and a destination VNID, based on one or more policies affecting application of services to packets in the network.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein multiple transparent waypoint devices which perform the same function are not implemented on a single host.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
receive a query to determine a service chain for one or more packets, the query including a query VNID and a destination address, the query VNID being for the one or more packets; and
determine a next hop and a next routed hop for the one or more packets.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the logic is further configured to:
derive a first destination VNID using the destination address; and
derive a first source VNID using a source address included in the query.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 , wherein the logic configured to determine the next hop and the next routed hop is further configured to consult the service chain table using the query VNID, the first destination VNID, and a first source VNID.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the logic is further configured to send the next hop and the next routed hop in response to the query.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the service chain table further comprises a next hop and a next routed hop individually correlated to each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network.

8. A method, comprising:
designating one of a plurality of endpoint virtual network identifiers (EPVNIDs) for each endpoint device in a network, wherein each EPVNID is configured to be shared by one or more endpoint devices;
designating a common waypoint virtual network identifier (WPVNID) for all transparent waypoint devices in the network which perform the same function;
designating a unique WPVNID for each routed waypoint device in the network;
designating a common virtual network identifier (VNID) for all virtual switches in a single virtual network, wherein a different VNID is designated for each virtual network; and
creating a service chain table comprising each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network individually correlated with at least a source VNID and a destination VNID, based on one or more policies affecting application of services to packets in the network.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein multiple transparent waypoint devices which perform the same function are not implemented on a single host.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a query to determine a service chain for one or more packets, the query including a query VNID and a destination address, the query VNID being for the one or more packets; and
determining a next hop and a next routed hop for the one or more packets.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
deriving a first destination VNID using the destination address; and
deriving a first source VNID using a source address included in the query.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , wherein the determining the next hop and the next routed hop comprises consulting the service chain table using the query VNID, the first destination VNID, and a first source VNID.

13. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising,
sending the next hop and the next routed hop in response to the query.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the service chain table further comprises a next hop and a next routed hop individually correlated to each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network.

15. A computer program product for servicing packets, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
designating, by the processor, one of a plurality of endpoint virtual network identifiers (EPVNIDs) for each endpoint device in a network, wherein each EPVNID is configured to be shared by one or more endpoint devices;
designating, by the processor, a common waypoint virtual network identifier (WPVNID) for all transparent waypoint devices in the network which perform the same function;
designating, by the processor, a unique WPVNID for each routed waypoint device in the network;
designating, by the processor, a common virtual network identifier (VNID) for all virtual switches in a single virtual network, wherein a different VNID is designated for each virtual network; and
creating, by the processor, a service chain table comprising each VNID, WPVNID, and EPVNID designated in the network individually correlated with at least a source VNID and a destination VNID, based on one or more policies affecting application of services to packets in the network.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein multiple transparent waypoint devices which perform the same function are not implemented on a single host.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, by the processor, a query to determine a service chain for one or more packets, the query including a query VNID and a destination address, the query VNID being for the one or more packets; and
determining, by the processor, a next hop and a next routed hop for the one or more packets.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises:
deriving, by the processor, a first destination VNID using the destination address; and
deriving, by the processor, a first source VNID using a source address included in the query.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein determining the next hop and the next routed hop includes consulting the service chain table using the query VNID, the first destination VNID, and a first source VNID.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises sending, by the processor, the next hop and the next routed hop in response to the query.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Benny Stephan
• Biswas Amitabha
• Goni Rachappa B
• Nagaraj Uday S
• Nageshappa Prashanth K

Classifications

• H04L45/745

  Address table lookup; Address filtering · CPC title

• H04L41/122

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

• H04L41/0894

  Policy-based network configuration management · CPC title

• H04L41/0895

  Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements · CPC title

• H04L41/342

  between virtual entities, e.g. orchestrators, SDN or NFV entities · CPC title