Propagating network configuration policies using a publish-subscribe messaging system

• US 10,447,815 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zandi, Shafagh, White, Russell I., Kahn, Zaid A., Kumar, Vikas
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, John B
• Application Number:
  US15/453,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system for propagating network configuration policies using a publish-subscribe messaging system. During operation, the system receives, through the publish-subscribe messaging system, one or more messages containing a first representation of a configuration policy from a policy server. Next, the system uses a data model to convert the first representation into a second representation of the configuration policy. The system then uses the second representation to apply the configuration policy during processing of network traffic.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

subscribing a node in a network to one or more topics associated with a configuration policy in a publish-subscribe messaging system, wherein said subscribing comprises selecting the one or more topics in the publish-subscribe messaging system based on a state of the node;

receiving, by the node in the network through the publish-subscribe messaging system, one or more messages comprising a first representation of the configuration policy from a policy server;

using a data model to convert, by the node, the first representation into a second representation of the configuration policy; and

using the second representation to apply the configuration policy during processing of network traffic at the node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the state of the node is associated with at least one of:

a position of the node in a topology of the network; and

network telemetry data captured by the node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more topics are associated with a type of the configuration policy.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the type of the configuration policy is at least one of:

an access control list;

a routing policy;

a hardware configuration;

a prefix list;

a network telemetry configuration; and

a message to be transmitted over the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first representation is included in the one or more messages using a serialization format.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second representation comprises a format that can be used by a processing layer associated with the configuration policy in the node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration policy comprises:

a policy name; and

an instruction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of:

a rule;

a condition;

a parameter; and

a value.

9. A method, comprising:

obtaining, at a policy server;

a first configuration policy for a first subset of nodes in a network; and

a second configuration policy for a second subset of nodes in the network;

generating, by the policy server;

a first message comprising the first configuration policy for receipt by the first subset of nodes through a publish-subscribe messaging system; and

a second message comprising the second configuration policy for receipt by the second subset of nodes through the publish-subscribe messaging system; and

transmitting, by the policy server, the first message and the second message to the publish-subscribe messaging system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the first message for receipt by the first subset of nodes through the publish-subscribe messaging system comprises:

assigning the first message to a topic associated with the first subset of nodes in the publish-subscribe messaging system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the topic represents at least one of:

a state of a node in the network; and

a type of the configuration policy.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the first message comprising the first configuration policy for receipt by the first subset of nodes through the publish-subscribe messaging system comprises:

using a serialization format to include a representation of the first configuration policy in the first message.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the configuration policy comprises at least one of:

an access control list;

a routing policy;

a hardware configuration;

a prefix list;

a network telemetry configuration; and

a message to be transmitted over the network.

14. A system, comprising:

a policy server comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

obtain a first configuration policy for a first subset of nodes in a network and a second configuration policy for a second subset of nodes in the network;

generate a first message comprising the first configuration policy for receipt by the first subset of nodes through a publish-subscribe messaging system;

generate a second message comprising the second configuration policy for receipt by the second subset of nodes through the publish-subscribe messaging system; and

transmit the first and second messages to the publish-subscribe messaging system; and

the first and second subsets of nodes, wherein each node in the first and second subsets comprises a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the system to;

receive, through the publish-subscribe messaging system, one or more messages comprising a first representation of a configuration policy from the policy server, wherein the configuration policy is at least one of the first and second configuration policies;

use a data model to convert the first representation into a second representation of the configuration policy; and

using the second representation to apply the configuration policy during processing of network traffic.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first message is assigned to a first topic associated with the first subset of nodes in the publish-subscribe messaging system, and

the second message is assigned to a second topic associated with the second subset of nodes in the publish-subscribe messaging system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second topics represent at least one of:

a state of the node in the network; and

a type of the configuration policy.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the first representation is included in the one or more messages using a serialization format; and

the second representation comprises a format that can be used by a processing layer associated with the configuration policy in the node.