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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9602308-B2
Application number	US-201414312522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2014
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

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 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;
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; and
send a next hop and a next routed hop that indicates a route to at least one service appliance in accordance with the one or more policies in response to a query to determine a service chain for one or more packets.

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 cause the processor to:
receive the query to determine the service chain for the 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 the next hop and the next routed hop for the one or more packets based on the service chain table.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 , wherein the logic is further configured to cause the processor 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 cause the processor to determine the next hop and the next routed hop is further configured to cause the processor to consult the service chain table using the query VNID, the first destination VNID, and the first source VNID.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one service appliance does not engage in control plane activities other than declaration of a category of the at least one service appliance prior to deployment in the network, and wherein the at least one service appliance is a virtual service appliance that has a unique WPVNID associated therewith in the service chain table.

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, wherein each correlated next hop indicates a next virtual or software defined network (SDN)-enabled switch and associated VNID, and wherein each correlated next routed hop indicates an inner media access control (MAC) address.

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 a 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;
creating 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; and
sending a next hop and a next routed hop that indicates a route to at least one service appliance in accordance with the one or more policies in response to a query to determine a service chain for one or more packets.

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 the query to determine the service chain for the 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 the next hop and the next routed hop for the one or more packets based on the service chain table.

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 the first source VNID.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the at least one service appliance does not engage in control plane activities other than declaration of a category of the at least one service appliance prior to deployment in the network, and wherein the at least one service appliance is a virtual service appliance that has a unique WPVNID associated therewith in the service chain table.

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, wherein each correlated next hop indicates a next virtual or software defined network (SDN)-enabled switch and associated VNID, and wherein each correlated next routed hop indicates an inner media access control (MAC) address.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H04L41/5096

  wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications · CPC title

• H04L45/38

  Flow based routing · CPC title

• H04L45/64

  using an overlay routing layer · CPC title

• 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

• H04L61/2592

  using tunnelling or encapsulation · CPC title