International Business Machines Corporation

Vmware, Inc.

Uday Shankar Nagaraj

Amitabha Biswas

Stephan Benny

Keshav G Kamble

Sushma Anantharam

Prashanth K Nageshappa

Rachappa B Goni

Vijoy A Pandey

Dar-Ren Leu

Santosh Rajagopalan

Bhalachandra G Banavalikar

Nirapada Ghosh

Prerit Rodney

Mansi Babbar

Shyam Sambasivan Ramachandran

Natalia Tupy Jensen

Ryan D Moats, Iii

Example methods and computer systems are provided for logical overlay network monitoring. The method may comprise: obtaining egress metric information associated with egress encapsulated packets that are sent by a source virtual tunnel endpoint (VTEP) to a destination VTEP over a logical overlay network; and obtaining ingress metric information associated with ingress encapsulated packets that are received by the destination VTEP from the source VTEP over the logical overlay network. The method may also comprise: performing a comparison to identify a divergence between the egress metric information and the ingress metric information; and based on the divergence, detecting a performance issue affecting logical overlay network connectivity between the source VTEP and the destination VTEP.

Logical overlay network monitoring

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.

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

In a distributed network environment, a first virtual machine sends a first virtual machine control information to a first network system. The first network system sends a first control information to a first network control system in response to receiving the first virtual machine control information. The first network control system sends a portion of the first control information to a number of network systems. The first network control system sends a second control information to the first network system. The first virtual machine sends a first packet to the first network system which generates a unicast packet using a portion of the first packet and a portion of the second control information. A second network system receives and processes the unicast packet. The second network system sends a copy of the processed unicast packet to a second virtual machine associated with a second tenant.

Transporting multi-destination networking traffic by sending repetitive unicast

A method includes receiving a packet from a first virtual machine (VM) in a distributed overlay virtual Ethernet (DOVE) network. A first virtual switch appends the packet with a tunnel header that is addressed for a second virtual switch. The first virtual switch acts as a virtual default gateway based on replacement of a first destination address for the virtual default gateway with a second destination address for a second VM. Multiple virtual gateways in the DOVE network share a same media access control (MAC) address.

Virtual gateways and implicit routing in distributed overlay virtual environments

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive one or more packets to be switched to a next hop, the one or more packets indicating a destination address and a first virtual network identifier (VNID). The logic is also configured to cause the processor to send a query to a controller in order to determine a service chain for the one or more packets, the query including the first VNID and the destination address. Moreover, the logic is configured to cause the processor to receive a response that includes the next hop and a next routed hop for the one or more packets. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in accordance with more embodiments.

In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive an overlay-encapsulated packet comprising one or more underlay packets. The logic is also configured to cause the processor to decapsulate the one or more underlay packets from the overlay-encapsulated packet. Moreover, the logic is configured to cause the processor to derive a priority for each of the one or more underlay packets based on a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, or the priority and the transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet. In addition, the logic is configured to cause the processor to set the priority of the one or more underlay packets.

Overlay network priority inheritance

In one embodiment, a controller includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to receive a query from a network device for instruction regarding where to send network traffic, the query including a first cookie, determine whether the first cookie is legitimate, and send a message to the network device, the message including either: the first cookie in response to a determination that the first cookie is legitimate or a second cookie which indicates a second next hop device determined by the controller in response to a determination that the first cookie is not legitimate. Other systems, methods, and computer program products are described in more embodiments.

Support for high availability of service appliances in a software-defined network (SDN) service chaining infrastructure

A method includes encapsulating, by a first virtual switch, a packet from a first virtual machine (VM) into a tunneled packet by appending the packet with a tunnel header that is addressed for a second virtual switch, wherein the packet includes a first destination address for a virtual default gateway. The first virtual switch forwards an inner packet of the encapsulated packet to a second VM. The first virtual switch acts as a virtual default gateway based on replacement of a first destination address for the virtual default gateway with a second destination address for the second VM.

Embodiments of the invention relate to providing acceleration for traffic migration for virtual machine (VM) migration in overlay networks. One embodiment includes a method that includes migrating of a VM from a first hypervisor to a second hypervisor. The first hypervisor detects incoming encapsulated traffic sent from a third hypervisor that is targeted for the VM. The first hypervisor indicates to a service of incorrect information in the incoming encapsulated traffic for the VM. The third hypervisor is notified with updated information for the VM.

Traffic migration acceleration for overlay virtual environments

In one embodiment, a method includes splitting a plurality of physical ports distributed across multiple distributed line cards (DLCs) into a plurality of virtual switches, wherein each virtual switch comprises ports of one or more DLC, creating a virtual control domain (VCD) associated with each virtual switch, and autonomously controlling the virtual switches, wherein each DLC is in electrical communication with at least one switch fabric coupler (SFC), and wherein the plurality of physical ports appear to external devices as being part of a single cell switched domain. Other systems and methods are described according to more embodiments.

Method for controlling large distributed fabric-based switch using virtual switches and virtual controllers

In one embodiment, a system includes at least one distributed line card (DLC) in electrical communication with at least one switch fabric coupler (SFC) and a meta-controller in electrical communication with the at least one DLC, the meta-controller including a processor for executing logic, logic configured for creating more than one virtual switch and a corresponding virtual control domain (VCD) associated with each virtual switch, wherein each virtual switch includes a plurality of physical ports of one or more of the at least one DLC, and logic configured for autonomously controlling the virtual switches, wherein the system appears to a device external of the system as a single cell switched domain. Other systems are described according to more embodiments.

Large distributed fabric-based switch using virtual switches and virtual controllers

Embodiments of the invention relate to providing default gateway virtualization in a distributed overlay virtual environment. One embodiment includes a method that includes creating a packet by a first virtual machine (VM) including a first destination address. The packet is received from the first VM by a first virtual switch. A second destination address for a second VM is obtained by the first virtual switch based on information in the packet. The first destination address in the packet is replaced with the second destination address. The packet is encapsulated using a header that is addressed for a second virtual switch.

In one embodiment, a system includes logic adapted for receiving an overlay-encapsulated packet including one or more underlay packets, logic adapted for decapsulating the one or more underlay packets from the overlay-encapsulated packet, logic adapted for deriving a priority for each of the one or more underlay packets based on at least one of: a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, and an application designation of the one or more underlay packets, and logic adapted for setting the priority of the one or more underlay packets. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving an overlay-encapsulated packet, decapsulating underlay packets therefrom, deriving a priority for the underlay packets, and setting the priority of the underlay packets, the priority being based on any of: a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, and/or an application designation of the underlay packets.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Uday Shankar Nagaraj