Configuration Tool for MPLS Virtual Private Network Topologies

• US 20080232379A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mellachervu, Koteswar Rao, Ramakrishnan, Somarajan C., Mohamed, Jamaluddin Nooruddin
• Granted Patent: US 8,194,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/395.53
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4679 Arrangements for the registration or de-registration of VLAN attribute values, e.g. VLAN identifiers, port VLAN membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• 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 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/033 by updating distance vector protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing

Abstract

Configuration tool for virtual private network (VPN) topologies. In particular implementations, a method includes accessing a network topology configuration set comprising one or more route target groups (RTGs), wherein each RTG comprises a topology type identifier, one or more site identifiers, one or more role identifiers associated with each of the site identifiers, and one or more route target identifiers; generating one or more route target statements, based on the topology type identifier and role identifiers of one or more RTGs, defining the export or import of network layer reachability information between one or more routing nodes in a virtual private network (VPN) topology; and transmitting the one or more route target statements to one or more routing nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

accessing a network topology configuration set comprising one or more route target groups (RTGs), wherein each RTG comprises a topology type identifier, one or more site identifiers, one or more role identifiers associated with each of the site identifiers, and one or more route target identifiers;

generating one or more route target statements, based on the topology type identifier and role identifiers of one or more RTGs, defining the export or import of network layer reachability information between one or more routing nodes in a virtual private network (VPN) topology; and

transmitting the one or more route target statements to one or more routing nodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a role identifier may identify a hub node, spoke node, or a mesh node.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating one or more new RTGs to add one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating one or more new sites to an existing RTG to add the one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying one or more RTGs to reconfigure one or more sites in an existing virtual private network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying the route target statements to one or more virtual forwarding and routing instances in one or more routing nodes.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the topology type identifier is one or a mesh topology, a hub-and-spoke topology or a central services topology.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more routing nodes are virtual route and forwarding (VRF) instances hosted on respective provider edge routers.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving an RTG identifier and a topology identifier corresponding to a RTG;

accessing a pool of route target identifiers to reserve a predetermined number of route target identifiers based on the received topology identifier.

10. Software encoded in one or more computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

access a network topology configuration set comprising one or more route target groups (RTGs), wherein each RTG comprises a topology type identifier, one or more site identifiers, one or more role identifiers associated with each of the site identifiers, and one or more route target identifiers;

generate one or more route target statements, based on the topology type identifier and role identifiers of one or more RTGs, defining the export or import of network layer reachability information between one or more routing nodes in a virtual private network (VPN) topology; and

transmit the one or more route target statements to one or more routing nodes.

11. The software of claim 10 wherein the software is further operable to generate one or more new RTGs to add one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

12. The software of claim 10 wherein the software is further operable to associate one or more new sites to an existing RTG to add the one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

13. The software of claim 10 wherein the software is further operable to modify one or more RTGs to reconfigure one or more sites in an existing virtual private network.

14. The software of claim 10 wherein the software is further operable to apply the route target statements to one or more virtual forwarding and routing instances in one or more routing nodes.

15. The software of claim 10 wherein the topology type identifier is one or a mesh topology, a hub-and-spoke topology or a central services topology.

16. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

a network interface; and

a management application, physically stored in the memory, comprising instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the apparatus to;

access a network topology configuration set comprising one or more route target groups (RTGs), wherein each RTG comprises a topology type identifier, one or more site identifiers, one or more role identifiers associated with each of the site identifiers, and one or more route target identifiers;

generate one or more route target statements, based on the topology type identifier and role identifiers of one or more RTGs, defining the export or import of a network layer reachability information between one or more routing nodes in a virtual private network (VPN) topology; and

transmit the one or more route target statements to one or more routing nodes.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the management application further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the apparatus to generate one or more new RTGs to add one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the management application further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the apparatus to associate one or more new sites to an existing RTG to add the one or more new sites to an existing virtual private network.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the management application further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the apparatus to modify one or more RTGs to reconfigure one or more sites in an existing virtual private network.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the management application further comprises instructions operable to cause the one or more processors and the apparatus to apply the route target statements to one or more virtual forwarding and routing instances in one or more routing nodes.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the topology type identifier is one or a mesh topology, a hub-and-spoke topology or a central services topology.