Location-aware service request handling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11190508-B2
Application number	US-201916542304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2019
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

Example methods and systems are provided for location-aware service request handling. The method may comprise: generating and sending location information associated with virtualized computing instance to a service node or a management entity for transmission to the service node. The location information may identify logical element(s) to which the virtualized computing instance is connected. The method may further comprise: in response to detecting, from the virtualized computing instance, a service request for a service from the service node, generating a modified service request by modifying the service request to include the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance; and sending the modified service request towards the service node.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for a host to perform location-aware service request handling in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment, wherein the method comprises:
generating and sending location information associated with virtualized computing instance to a service node or a management entity for transmission to the service node, wherein the location information identifies one or more logical elements to which the virtualized computing instance is connected; and
in response to detecting, from the virtualized computing instance, a service request for a service from the service node,
generating a modified service request by modifying the service request to include the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance; and
sending the modified service request towards the service node to cause the service node to perform verification based on the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance when providing the service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating and sending the location information comprises:
generating and sending the location information identifying multiple logical elements in the form of a logical switch port and a logical switch to which the virtualized computing instance is connected.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the modified service request comprises:
modifying the service request by adding location information in the form of a first identifier (ID) associated with the logical switch port, and a second ID associated with the logical switch to the service request.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the service request comprises:
detecting a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, being the service request, that is destined for a service node, wherein the service node is a DHCP server that is enabled with a DHCP relay agent information option.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the modified service request comprises:
modifying the DHCP request, being the service request, to enable the DHCP relay agent information option by configuring a circuit ID sub-option field to identify a first logical element; and a remote ID sub-option field to identify a second logical element.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein sending the modified service request comprises:
sending the modified service request to the DHCP server to cause the DHCP server to perform verification based on the circuit ID sub-option field and the remoted ID sub-option field, and to apply a DHCP policy configured for the virtualized computing instance.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the service request comprises:
detecting a domain name server (DNS) request, being the service request, that is destined for a service node, wherein the service node is a DNS server that is configured to perform verification based on the location information prior to applying a DNS policy associated with the location information.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes a set of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor of a computer system, cause the processor to perform location-aware service request handling in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment, wherein the method comprises
generating and sending location information associated with virtualized computing instance to a service node or a management entity for transmission to the service node, wherein the location information identifies one or more logical elements to which the virtualized computing instance is connected; and
in response to detecting, from the virtualized computing instance, a service request for a service from the service node,
generating a modified service request by modifying the service request to include the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance; and
sending the modified service request towards the service node to cause the service node to perform verification based on the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance when providing the service.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein generating and sending the location information comprises:
generating and sending the location information identifying multiple logical elements in the form of a logical switch port and a logical switch to which the virtualized computing instance is connected.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein generating the modified service request comprises:
modifying the service request by adding location information in the form of a first identifier (ID) associated with the logical switch port, and a second ID associated with the logical switch to the service request.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein detecting the service request comprises:
detecting a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, being the service request, that is destined for a service node, wherein the service node is a DHCP server that is enabled with a DHCP relay agent information option.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein generating the modified service request comprises:
modifying the DHCP request, being the service request, to enable the DHCP relay agent information option by configuring a circuit ID sub-option field to identify a first logical element; and a remote ID sub-option field to identify a second logical element.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein sending the modified service request comprises:
sending the modified service request to the DHCP server to cause the DHCP server to perform verification based on the circuit ID sub-option field and the remoted ID sub-option field, and to apply a DHCP policy configured for the virtualized computing instance.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein detecting the service request comprises:
detecting a domain name server (DNS) request, being the service request, that is destined for a service node, wherein the service node is a DNS server that is configured to perform verification based on the location information prior to applying a DNS policy associated with the location information.

15. A computer system configured to perform location-aware service request handling in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment, wherein the computer system comprises:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following:
generate and send location information associated with virtualized computing instance to a service node or a management entity for transmission to the service node, wherein the location information identifies one or more logical elements to which the virtualized computing instance is connected; and
in response to detecting, from the virtualized computing instance, a service request for a service from the service node,
generate a modified service request by modifying the service request to include the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance; and
send the modified service request towards the service node to cause the service node to perform verification based on the location information associated with the virtualized computing instance when providing the service.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for generating and sending the location information cause the processor to:
generate

Assignees

• Vmware Inc

Inventors

• Luo Ye
• Wu Qi
• Han Donghai

Classifications

• H04L41/0897

  by horizontal or vertical scaling of resources, or by migrating entities, e.g. virtual resources or entities · 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

• H04L63/0876 Primary

  based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint · CPC title

• H04L41/0816 Primary

  the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events · CPC title