Network system, inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, network control method, and program

• US 10,454,708 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Mibu, Ryota
• Primary Examiner(s): Miah, Razu A
• Application Number:
  US15/122,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20170078114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 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 Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]

Abstract

Provided an inter-site network cooperation control apparatus connected to a network control apparatus in each of extension source and extension destination site of a virtual network that receives an extension request from the network control apparatus, notifies the network control apparatus in the extension destination site of an instruction to create a virtual network in the extension destination site, and notifies the network control apparatuses in the extension destination site and the extension source site of an instruction to create virtual ports for a tunnel between the sites, thus a communication connection being established between the virtual networks in the sites via the tunnel between the virtual ports for a tunnel.

Claims

1. A network system comprising:

a plurality of sites, each of the sites including;

a network control apparatus that provides a virtual network service; and

a tunnel apparatus that performs tunneling between sites with a corresponding tunnel apparatus in another site; and

an inter-site network cooperation control apparatus that connects at least to the network control apparatus in an extension source site of a virtual network and the network control apparatus in an extension destination site thereof,

wherein the network control apparatus includes;

a logical configuration holding unit that holds information related to affiliation of the virtual network and a virtual port that is a port on a logical configuration of the virtual network;

a configuration detection unit that in response to an operation performed on a network configuration including at least one of the virtual network and the virtual port, determines whether the operation on the network configuration is a process within the site thereof or an extension process of a virtual network to cross sites by referring to information held in the logical configuration holding unit; and

a network equipment setting unit that sets up one or more network equipments in a site, wherein the network control apparatus in the extension source site or in the extension destination site notifies an extension request to the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, when the network control apparatus determines operation on the network configuration to be an extension of a virtual network across sites, wherein

the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus includes;

an extension information holding unit that holds;

information of a virtual network extending into another site;

information of a virtual port extending into another site; and

information of a virtual port for a tunnel;

an extension request processing unit that upon reception of the extension request, issues an inquiry to the extension information holding unit on whether or not the virtual network is extended into another site and is registered,

a logical network extension unit that, when no virtual network extension is registered, notifies the network control apparatus in the extension destination site of an instruction to create a virtual network in the extension destination site, necessary for configuring the extension of a virtual network across sites, and further notifies each of the network control apparatuses in the extension destination site and the extension source site of an instruction to create a virtual port for a tunnel between sites; and

a tunnel control unit that creates a port that connects to the virtual network in each site and that connects a tunnel between the ports on the tunnel apparatus, and wherein

virtual networks in the extension source site and the extension destination site are communicatively connected via the virtual ports for a tunnel between sites that are created in the tunnel apparatuses in respective sites, and the tunnel between the extension source and extension destination sites.

2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus comprises:

the extension request processing unit that upon reception of an extension release request related to the extension of a virtual network across sites from the network control apparatus, performs extension releasing processing of the virtual network across sites;

the tunnel control unit that deletes a port that connects to the virtual network in each site and that connects a tunnel between the ports on the tunnel apparatus; and

the logical network extension unit that instructs the network control apparatus in the extension destination site to delete a virtual port for a tunnel, and that deletes the information of the extended virtual network and virtual port in the extension information holding unit.

3. The network system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a network control agent that acquires information of a virtual network and/or virtual port created in a site and notifies a corresponding network control apparatus of the information acquired, wherein

the network control apparatus comprises

a logical configuration holding unit that holds information related to the affiliation of a virtual network and virtual port, and wherein

the network control agent performs processing of notifying the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus of configuration information on another site and setting up one or more network equipments in a site.

4. A network system comprising:

a plurality of sites, each of the sites including;

a network control apparatus that provides a virtual network service; and

a tunnel apparatus that performs tunneling between sites with a corresponding tunnel apparatus in another site; and

an inter-site network cooperation control apparatus that connects at least to the network control apparatus in an extension source site of a virtual network and the network control apparatus in an extension destination site thereof, wherein

the network control apparatus in the extension source site or in the extension destination site notifies an extension request to the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, upon detection of an extension of a virtual network across sites in response to an operation performed on a network configuration including at least one of a virtual network and a virtual port that is a port on a logical configuration of the virtual network, wherein

the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, upon reception of the extension request, notifies the network control apparatus in the extension destination site of an instruction to create a virtual network in the extension destination site, necessary for configuring the extension of a virtual network across sites, and further notifies each of the network control apparatuses in the extension destination site and the extension source site of an instruction to create a virtual port for a tunnel between sites, and wherein

virtual networks in the extension source site and the extension destination site are communicatively connected via the virtual ports for a tunnel between sites that are created in the tunnel apparatuses in respective sites, and the tunnel between the extension source and extension destination sites,

wherein the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus comprises;

an extension request processing unit that upon reception of the extension request from the network control apparatus or an extension release request related to the extension of a virtual network across sites, performs extension processing or extension releasing processing of the virtual network across sites;

a tunnel control unit that creates or deletes a port that connects to the virtual network in each site and that connects a tunnel between the ports on the tunnel apparatus;

an extension information holding unit that holds extension information including at least information of the extended virtual network and virtual port; and

a logical network extension unit that instructs the network control apparatus in the extension destination site to create a virtual network and create or delete a virtual port for a tunnel, and that registers or deletes the information of the extended virtual network and virtual port in the extension information holding unit, wherein the network control apparatus comprises;

a logical configuration holding unit that holds information related to affiliation of the virtual network and the virtual port;

a configuration detection unit that determines whether or not an operation on the network configuration is a process within the site thereof by referring to the information held in the logical configuration holding unit, and that notifies the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus of the extension request when determined to be an extension process of a virtual network to another site; and

a network equipment setting unit that sets up one or more network equipments in a site.

5. The network system according to claim 4, wherein the network control apparatus notifies an extension request to the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus when the configuration detection unit detects configuration information relating to a virtual port that has been set up in another site or a port that is controlled in another site,

the extension request processing unit, upon reception of the extension request from the network control apparatus in the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, identifies an extension destination site, and inquires to the extension information holding unit about whether a corresponding virtual network is created in the network control apparatus in the extension destination site, and the logical network extension unit instructs the network control apparatus in the extension destination site to create a virtual network and a virtual port for a tunnel for connecting the virtual network when the virtual network is not created, and

the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, after the extension of the virtual network, further requests the network control apparatus in the extension destination to create a virtual port in the extension destination site corresponding to a virtual port in the extension source site included in the extension request, and associates port information of the virtual port in the extension source site with the virtual port created in the extension destination site.

6. The network system according to claim 4, further comprising

a network control agent that acquires information of a virtual network and/or virtual port created in a site and notifies a corresponding network control apparatus of the information acquired.

7. A network control method, comprising:

providing an inter-site network cooperation control apparatus that connects at least to a network control apparatus in an extension source site of a virtual network and a network control apparatus in an extension destination site thereof, each of the extension source and destination sites including at least the network control apparatus that provides a virtual network service and a tunnel apparatus that provides tunneling between sites with a corresponding tunnel apparatus in another site;

notifying an extension request to the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, by the network control apparatus in the extension source site, upon detection of an extension of a virtual network across sites in response to an operation performed on a network configuration including at least one of a virtual network and a virtual port that is a port on a logical configuration of the virtual network;

notifying, by the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, the network control apparatus in the extension destination site of an instruction to create a virtual network in the extension destination site, necessary for configuring the extension of a virtual network across sites, based on the extension request, and further notifying, by the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, the network control apparatuses in the extension destination site and the extension source site of an instruction to create virtual ports for a tunnel between sites; and

establishing a communication connection between virtual networks in the extension source site and the extension destination site via the virtual ports for tunnel between sites that are created in the tunnel apparatuses in respective sites and the tunnel between the extension source and extension destination sites, the method further comprising;

determining, by the network control apparatus, whether or not an operation on the network configuration is a process within the site thereof by referring to information held in a logical configuration holding unit that holds information related to affiliation of the virtual network and the virtual port;

notifying, by the network control apparatus, the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus of the extension request when determined to be an extension process of a virtual network to another site.

8. The network control method according to claim 7, comprising:

notifying, by the network control apparatus, the extension request to the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus when detecting configuration information in the logical configuration holding unit relating to a virtual port that has been set up in another site or a port that is controlled in another site;

upon reception of the extension request from the network control apparatus, identifying, by the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, an extension destination site, and inquiring to the extension information holding unit about whether a corresponding virtual network is created in the network control apparatus in the extension destination site, and instructing, by the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, the network control apparatus in the extension destination site to create a virtual network and a virtual port for a tunnel for connecting the virtual network when the virtual network is not created; and

after the extension of the virtual network, requesting, by the inter-site network cooperation control apparatus, further the network control apparatus in the extension destination to create a virtual port in the extension destination site corresponding to a virtual port in the extension source site included in the extension request, and associating port information of the virtual port in the extension source site with the virtual port created in the extension destination site.

9. The network control method according to claim 7, comprising:

acquiring, by a network control agent, information of a virtual network and/or virtual port created in a site; and

notifying, by a network control agent, a corresponding network control apparatus of the information acquired.