Validation of layer 2 interface and VLAN in a networked environment

• US 10,536,337 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2017
• Issued: 01/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Harneja, Sanchay, Venkatesan, Ramadoss
• Primary Examiner(s): Algibhah, Hamza N
• Application Number:
  US15/663,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20180367402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• 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 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• 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 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/145 involving simulating, designing, planning or modelling of a network

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods, and computer-readable media for assuring tenant forwarding in a network environment. Network assurance can be determined in layer 1, layer 2 and layer 3 of the networked environment including, internal-internal (e.g., inter-fabric) forwarding and internal-external (e.g., outside the fabric) forwarding in the networked environment. The network assurance can be performed using logical configurations, software configurations and/or hardware configurations.

Claims

1. A system for performing a network assurance check of proper deployment of a configuration in a fabric, comprising:

at least one memory configured to store data; and

at least one processor operable to execute instructions associated with the data, which when executed by the at least one processor, causes the processor to;

receive, from a controller, a global logical model in a first format, the global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to a network fabric communicate within the fabric;

receive, from one or more network devices within the fabric, a software model being at least a subset of instructions from the global logical model in a second format executable on the one or more network devices, the subset of instructions being instructions from the global logical model that are specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

create a local logical model in the first format, the local logical model being at least a portion of the received global logical model that is specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the created local logical model and at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model into a common format; and

compare content of at least some Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the created local logical model and the common format of the received software model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices earlier at least partially accurately created the software model from the global logical model.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of Layer 2 content subject to the conversion and the comparison includes VLAN information and interface information, to thereby at least partially check correct deployment of any bridge domains and/or endpoint groups (EPG).

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to validate that at least some Layer 2 content of the global logical model is properly configured.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the least some of the Layer 2 content subject to the validation includes, at Layer 2, that access policies are configured properly, EPGs are configured properly, that multiple EPGs when present on the one of the network devices are not using the same virtual local area network (VLAN), there are no overlapping VLANs, no duplicate VLANs at the switch level on a same switch, and no duplicate VLANS on a port level on the same port of a same switch.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

receive from the one of the one or more network devices within the fabric a hardware model in a third format of hardware configurations converted from the software model;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the hardware model into the common format; and

compare content of at least some of Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the received software model with the common format of the received hardware model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices at least partially accurately converted Layer 2 of the software model into the hardware model.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least a portion of the Layer 2 content subject to the conversions and the comparisons includes the VLAN for each EPG.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to:

receive a Distributed Virtual Switch (DVS) logical model from a DVS outside of the fabric;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received DVS logical model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received global hardware model into a third common format; and

compare content of at least some of Layer 2 overlapping fields from the third common format of the received global logical model with the third common format of the received DVS logical model;

wherein a positive outcome of the third comparing represents VLANs within the global logical model have been properly assigned across the network.

8. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to:

receive, from a controller, a global logical model in a first format, the global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to a network fabric communicate within the fabric;

receive, from one or more network devices within the fabric, a software model being at least a subset of instructions from the global logical model in a second format executable on the one or more network devices, the subset of instructions being instructions from the global logical model that are specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

create a local logical model in the first format, the local logical model being at least a portion of the received global logical model that is specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the created local logical model and at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model into a common format; and

compare content of at least some Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the created local logical model and the common format of the received software model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices at least partially accurately created the software model from the global logical model.

9. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the at least a portion of Layer 2 content subject to the conversion and the comparison includes VLAN information and interface information, to thereby at least partially check correct deployment of any bridge domains and/or endpoint groups (EPG).

10. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions to validate that at least some Layer 2 content of the global logical model is properly configured.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the least some of the Layer 2 content subject to the validation includes, at Layer 2, that access policies are configured properly, EPGs are configured properly, that multiple EPGs when present on the one of the network devices are not using the same virtual local area network (VLAN), there are no overlapping VLANs, no duplicate VLANs at the switch level on a same switch, and no duplicate VLANS on a port level on the same port of a same switch.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:

receive from the one of the one or more network devices within the fabric a hardware model in a third format of hardware configurations converted from the software model;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the hardware model into the common format; and

compare content of at least some of Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the received software model with the common format of the received hardware model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices at least partially accurately converted Layer 2 of the software model into the hardware model.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of the Layer 2 content subject to the conversions and the comparisons includes the VLAN for each EPG.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:

receive a Distributed Virtual Switch (DVS) logical model from a DVS outside of the fabric;

convert at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received DVS logical model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received global hardware model into a third common format; and

compare content of at least some of Layer 2 overlapping fields from the third common format of the received global logical model with the third common format of the received DVS logical model;

wherein a positive outcome of the third comparing represents VLANs within the global logical model have been properly assigned across the network.

15. A method for performing a network assurance check of proper deployment of a configuration in a fabric, comprising:

receiving from a controller, a global logical model in a first format, the global logical model containing instructions on how endpoints connected to a network fabric communicate within the fabric;

receiving from one or more network devices within the fabric, a software model being at least a subset of instructions from the global logical model in a second format executable on the one or more network devices, the subset of instructions being instructions from the global logical model that are specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

creating a local logical model in the first format, the local logical model being at least a portion of the received global logical model that is specific to operability of the one or more network devices;

converting at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the created local logical model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model into a common format; and

comparing content of at least some Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the created local logical model and the common format of the received software model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices earlier at least partially accurately created the software model from the global logical model.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least a portion of Layer 2 content subject to the converting and the comparing includes VLAN information and interface information, to thereby at least partially check correct deployment of any bridge domains (BD) and/or endpoint groups (EPG).

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising validating that at least some Layer 2 content of the global logical model is properly configured.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the least some of the Layer 2 content subject to said validating includes, at Layer 2, that access policies are configured properly, EPGs are configured properly, that multiple EPG'"'"'s when present on the one of the network devices are not using the same virtual local area network (VLAN), there are no overlapping VLANs, no duplicate VLANs at the switch level on a same switch, and no duplicate VLANS on a port level on the same port of a same switch.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving from the one of the one or more network devices within the fabric a hardware model in a third format of hardware configurations converted from the software model;

converting at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the received software model and/or at least a portion of Layer 2 content of the hardware model into the common format; and

comparing content of at least some of Layer 2 overlapping fields from the common format of the received software model with the common format of the received hardware model;

wherein a positive outcome of the comparison represents that the one or more network devices at least partially accurately converted Layer 2 of the software model into the hardware model.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least a portion of the Layer 2 content subject to the converting and the comparing includes the VLAN for each EPG.