Multi-domain interconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019149360-A1
Application number	US-201916248605-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 15, 2019
Priority date	Aug 17, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A network system that includes a first set of network hosts in a first domain and a second set of network hosts in a second domain. Within each of the domains, the system includes several edge switching elements (SEs) that each couple to the network hosts and forward network data to and from the set of network hosts. Within the first domain, the system includes (i) an interior SE that couples to a particular edge SE in order to receive network data for forwarding from the edge SE when the edge SE does not recognize a destination location of the network data and (ii) an interconnection SE that couples to the interior SE, the edge SE, and the second domain through an external network. When the edge SE receives network data with a destination address in the second domain, it forwards the network data directly to the interconnection SE.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . For a network controller that manages a set of interconnection forwarding elements that connect segmented networks to a common interconnection network, a method comprising:
receiving input data defining a logical forwarding element that logically connects a plurality of network segments in a plurality of different locations by coupling logical ports of the logical forwarding element to the network segments; translating the received input data into output data that defines the logical forwarding element and binds the logical ports to the interconnection forwarding elements; and distributing the output data to the interconnection forwarding elements for subsequent conversion into data that the interconnection forwarding elements use to forward packets from machines at one network segment to machines at a different network segment according to the logical forwarding element.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the connected segmented networks comprise a first physical domain comprising a first set of machines executing on a first set of host computers, and a second physical domain comprising a second set of machines executing on a second set of host computers.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the logical forwarding element is a segment-connecting logical forwarding element, the first set of machines are connected by a first logical forwarding element and the second set of machines are connected by a second logical forwarding element, wherein the first and second logical forwarding elements are logically connected by the segment-connecting logical forwarding element.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the first logical forwarding element is implemented by a set of managed forwarding elements executing on the first set of host computers, while the second logical forwarding element is implemented by a set of managed forwarding elements executing on the second set of host computers.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the first physical domain and the second physical domain are located in different data centers.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein receiving the input data comprises using an application programming interface (API) to receive data to define the input data that defines the logical switching element.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the API receives the data from a user interface.

28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein a first of the different segmented networks is segmented using virtual local area network (VLAN) tagging and a second of the different segmented networks is segmented using multi-protocol labeling system (MPLS) labeling.

29 . The method of claim 21 , wherein a first of the different segmented networks is segmented using a first VLAN technique and a second of the different segmented networks is segmented using a second VLAN technique.

30 . The method of claim 21 , wherein a plurality of different network addresses are defined for each network segment, wherein for a particular logical port that couples to a particular network segment, the output data specified to logically forward a packet comprises a destination address that matches one of the plurality of network addresses defined for the particular network segment, to the particular logical port of the logical forwarding element.

31 . A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for managing a set of interconnection forwarding elements that connect segmented networks to a common interconnection network, a program comprising sets of instructions for:
receiving input data defining a logical forwarding element that logically connects a plurality of network segments in a plurality of different locations by coupling logical ports of the logical forwarding element to the network segments; translating the received input data into output data that defines the logical forwarding element and binds the logical ports to the interconnection forwarding elements; and distributing the output data to the interconnection forwarding elements for subsequent conversion into data that the interconnection forwarding elements use to forward packets from machines at one network segment to machines at a different network segment according to the logical forwarding element.

32 . The program of claim 31 , wherein the connected segmented networks comprise a first physical domain comprising a first set of machines executing on a first set of host computers, and a second physical domain comprising a second set of machines executing on a second set of host computers.

33 . The program of claim 32 , wherein the logical forwarding element is a segment-connecting logical forwarding element, the first set of machines are connected by a first logical forwarding element and the second set of machines are connected by a second logical forwarding element, wherein the first and second logical forwarding elements are logically connected by the segment-connecting logical forwarding element.

34 . The program of claim 33 , wherein the first logical forwarding element is implemented by a set of managed forwarding elements executing on the first set of host computers, while the second logical forwarding element is implemented by a set of managed forwarding elements executing on the second set of host computers.

35 . The program of claim 31 , wherein the first physical domain and the second physical domain are located in different data centers.

36 . The program of claim 31 , wherein the set of instructions for receiving the input data comprises a set of instructions for using an application programming interface (API) to receive data to define the input data that defines the logical switching element.

37 . The program of claim 36 , wherein the API receives the data from a user interface.

38 . The program of claim 31 , wherein a first of the different segmented networks is segmented using virtual local area network (VLAN) tagging and a second of the different segmented networks is segmented using multi-protocol labeling system (MPLS) labeling.

39 . The program of claim 31 , wherein a first of the different segmented networks is segmented using a first VLAN technique and a second of the different segmented networks is segmented using a second VLAN technique.

40 . The program of claim 31 , wherein a plurality of different network addresses are defined for each network segment, wherein for a particular logical port that couples to a particular network segment, the output data specified to logically forward a packet comprises a destination address that matches one of the plurality of network addresses defined for the particular network segment, to the particular logical port of the logical forwarding element.

Assignees

• Nicira Inc

Inventors

• Casado Martin
• Koponen Teemu
• Thakkar Pankaj

Classifications

• H04L12/66 Primary

  Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways · CPC title

• H04L41/044

  comprising hierarchical management structures · CPC title

• H04L45/04

  Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing · CPC title

• H04L41/122

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

• H04L41/40

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