Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)

Eric Dyke

Ramesh Mishra

Ludovic Beliveau

Ritun Patney

Catherine Truchan

Bartosz Balazinski

Makan Pourzandi

Benoit Tremblay

Geoffrey Lefebvre

Jon Maloy

Andre Beliveau

Jean-Francois Bertrand

Jean-François Bertrand

A network device acting as a forwarding element within a software-defined network receives a representation of configurable flow table definitions and configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device creates a flow table based on each of the configurable flow table definitions and installs the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables. The network device receives data to populate configurable key columns and action columns of the flow tables and populates the flow tables using that data. The network device then selects from forwarding decisions for packets according to the configurable logic for selecting between flow tables, the flow tables, and each packet's values in relevant header fields required by the configurable logic.

Flexible and extensible flow processing in software-defined networks

A method applied in a routing node, and a forwarding engine implemented in a routing node, are provided for handling data packets received at the routing node. A N-tuple comprising N elements is extracted from a first header of a data packet. A default meta-field is added to the N elements, providing a N+1-tuple. The N+1-tuple is used to make a first lookup of inspection rules. The default meta-field makes the inspection rules apply to the first header. The data packet is handled according to a result of the first lookup, wherein a possible outcome is a finding of a second header within the data packet. If a second header is found, a new meta-field value is set and a second lookup is made. The second lookup of the inspection rules is made according to N elements from the second header and the new value of the meta-field.

Handling data packets received at a routing node

A load balancer in a communication network tracks active network flows using a Bloom filter and takes a snapshot of the Bloom filter at the time of a scaling event. The load balancer uses the Bloom filter snapshot to differentiate packets belonging to pre-existing network flows from packets belonging to new network flows. Packets belonging to pre-existing network flows continue to be distributed according to a mapping function in use prior to the scaling event. Packets belonging to new network flows are distributed according to a new mapping function.

Load balancing for stateful scale-out network services

Forwarding element for flexible and extensible flow processing software-defined networks

A network device acts as a controller within a software-defined network. The network device receives a processing definition, which includes a representation of configurable definitions of protocols, configurable flow table definitions, and configurable logic for selecting between flow tables defined by the configurable flow table definitions. The network device translates the processing definition to create a parser configuration package, which is distributed to a plurality of forwarding elements. This distribution causes each forwarding element to create a flow table based on each of the configurable flow table definitions. The flow tables include one or more configurable key columns and a set of one or more action columns to store forwarding decisions. The network device transmits data to populate the configurable key columns and action columns of the flow tables created within each of the plurality of forwarding elements.

Controller for flexible and extensible flow processing in software-defined networks

Method and router supporting tracing of a packet therein. A first service module receives the packet and a memory module stores a tracing extension header. The extension header comprises an identifier of a receiving service module and a tracing identifier associated with the packet. The extension is stored following reception of the packet by the first service module. Optionally, the receiving module may be the first service module that further receives the packet through a network interface module. The first service module may also generate the tracing identifier associated with the packet that uniquely identifies the tracing in the receiving module. The router may comprise a second service module and a second memory module associated thereto. The first service module may further append the tracing extension header to the packet and forwards the packet to the second service module. The second memory module may then store the extension header thereupon.

Tracing support in a router

A packet node and corresponding methods are provided for providing services to packets received at the packet node. At an ingress card, a packet is classified and a virtual media access control (VMAC) address is attached to the packet. The VMAC address identifies a service component for providing a service to the packet. Layer two switching of the packet is made within the packet node, based on the VMAC address. After processing of the packet by the service component, a new VMAC address is attached to the packet. Further layer two switching of the packet, based on the new VMAC address, may lead to further processing by another service component or to forwarding of the packet beyond the packet node.

Packet node for applying service path routing at the MAC layer

A system for flexible and extensible flow processing includes a first network device to act as a controller within a software-defined network. The first network device receives a processing definition, translates the processing definition to create a parser configuration package and transmit the parser configuration package to a plurality of forwarding elements, and transmit data to populate flow tables within the plurality of forwarding elements. The system also includes a second and third network device, each acting as a flow switching enabled forwarding element and able to receive a parser configuration package from the first network device. The second network device compiles the parser configuration package into machine code, which is executed on a processor to perform packet processing. The third network device includes a co-processor to execute the parser configuration package to perform packet processing. The parser configuration package includes representations of header, table definition, and stack instructions.

System for flexible and extensible flow processing in software-defined networks

An abbreviated point-to-point protocol (PPP) negotiation in a wireless communication system is performed between a first peer, such as a mobile station, and a second peer, such as a packet data service node. The first peer sends a link control protocol option designated option X to the second peer. The option X identifies a user profile that includes at least one pre-negotiated point-to-point protocol parameter. If the second peer supports the user profile and the at least one parameter is acceptable to the second peer, the second peer acknowledges that the user profile is acceptable to the second peer. In response, the first peer acknowledges that the user profile is acceptable to the first peer. In response to both peers acknowledging that the user profile is acceptable, each of the peers sets a respective state machine in accordance with the user profile. If the second peer supports the user profile but one or more of the at least one parameter of the user profile is not acceptable to the second peer, the second peer sends a negative-acknowledgment to the first peer that identifies a second user profile that is acceptable to the second peer. If the second peer does not support the user profile, the second peer rejects the first user profile and a full point-to-point-protocol negotiation is performed without reference to any of the pre-stored user profiles.

Method of and system for mobile station abbreviated point-to-point protocol negotiation

A Point-to-Point protocol (PPP) session with a mobile station is initiated in a wireless communication system. The session is negotiated by a first Packet Data Service Node (PDSN), which creates a PPP context for the mobile station for the session. The PPP context is added to a PPP register, which stores the PPP context indexed by the International Mobile Station Identifier (IMSI) of the mobile station for later retrieval if needed. In the event the mobile station is handed over to a second PDSN, such as when the mobile station roams and the first PDSN cannot be reached, the second PDSN retrieves the stored PPP context using the IMSI of the mobile station so that the PPP session can be resumed without a need for a complete renegotiation of the PPP context. The PDSNs further periodically re-register or update the PPP context on the PPP register. At the expiration of the PPP session, the PDSN directs the PPP register to delete the saved PPP context so that a new PPP context can be created the next time the mobile station initiates a PPP session.

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Verdun, Canada

Eric Dyke