Virtualization Aware Network Switch

• US 20110085563A1
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Published: 04/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kotha, Saikrishna, Winter, Robert L., Cherian, Jacob, Hernandez, Hendrich M., Chawla, Gaurav
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/00 Packet switching elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/65 Re-configuration of fast packet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

A network switch includes a port coupled to a host, and a profile. The profile includes a key associated with a virtual machine on the host, and information for configuring the port for the virtual machine. The switch receives communication on another port with the key and configures the other port for the virtual machine. A method includes coupling a host with a virtual machine to a port of a network switch, receiving communications from the virtual machine on the port, and creating a profile with a key for identifying data associated with the virtual machine and with information for configuring the switch to route data associated with the virtual machine through the port, receiving communications with the key information at another port, and modifying the information to route data for the virtual machine through the other port.

Claims

1. A network switch comprising:

a first port coupled to a host system;

a second port; and

a first profile including;

a first key that is associated with a first virtual machine on the host system; and

first configuration information that configures the first port for the first virtual machine;

wherein the network switch is operable to;

receive a first communication on the second port, the first communication including the first key; and

in response to receiving the first communication, change the first configuration information to configure the second port for the first virtual machine.

2. The network switch of claim 1, wherein further:

the network switch is coupled to a stackable switch element; and

the network switch is further operable to;

receive a second communication from the stackable switch element, the second communication including the first key; and

in response to receiving the second communication, send the first profile to the stackable switch element.

3. The network switch of claim 2, further operable to:

receive a third communication on the first port, the third communication including a second key that is associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the third communication, send the second key to the stackable switch element; and

in response to sending the second key, receive a second profile from the stackable switch element, the second profile including;

the second key; and

second configuration information that configures the stackable switch for data routing of second virtual machine through the stackable switch.

4. The network switch of claim 3, wherein, in response to receiving the second profile, the network switch is further operable to modify network switch configuration of first port to enable data routing and network operations for second virtual machine.

5. The network switch of claim 1, wherein further:

the network switch is coupled to a profile manager; and

the network switch is further operable to;

send the first profile to the profile manager;

receive a second communication on the first port, the second communication including a second key that is associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the second communication, send the second key to the profile manager; and

in response to sending the second key, receive a second profile from the profile manager, the second profile including;

the second key; and

second configuration information that configures the first port to enable data routing for the second virtual machine.

6. The network switch of claim 1, wherein further:

the network switch is coupled to a network; and

the network switch is further operable to;

receive a first request from a first source device on the network, the first request including the first key; and

in response to receiving the first request, send a first reply to the first source device, the first reply including the first profile.

7. The network switch of claim 6, wherein further:

the network switch is coupled to a second source device; and

the network switch further operable to;

receive a second request from the second source device, the second request including a second key that is associated with the second source device; and

receive a second profile from the network, the second profile including;

the second key; and

second configuration information that configures the network switch to enable data routing for the second source device through the network switch.

8. The network switch of claim 7, wherein the first key includes a media access control address.

9. A method comprising:

coupling a host system to a first port of a first network switch, the host system including a first virtual machine;

receiving at the first port a first communication from the first virtual machine;

in response to receiving the first communication, creating in the first network switch a first profile including;

first key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with the first virtual machine; and

first configuration information operable to configure the first network switch to route data associated with the first virtual machine through the first port;

receiving at a second port of the first network switch a second communication that includes the first key information; and

in response to receiving the second communication, modifying the network switch configuration as per the first configuration information to enable data routing for the first virtual machine through the second port.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

coupling the first network switch to a second network switch;

receiving at the first network switch a third communication from the second network switch, the third communication including the first key information; and

in response to receiving the third communication, sending the first profile to the second network switch.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving at the first port a fourth communication that includes second key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the fourth communication, sending the second key information to the second network switch; and

in response to sending the second key information, receiving a second profile from the second network switch, the second profile including;

the second key information; and

second configuration information operable to configure the second network switch to enable data routing for the second virtual machine through the second network switch.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, in response to receiving the second profile, the method further comprises applying the second profile such that the second configuration information configures the first network switch to route data associated with the second virtual machine through the first port.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

coupling the first network switch to a profile manager;

sending the first profile to the profile manager;

receiving at the first port a second communication that includes second key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the second communication, sending the second key information to the profile manager; and

in response to sending the second key information, receiving a second profile from the profile manager, the second profile including;

the second key information; and

second configuration information operable to configure the first network switch to enable data routing for the second virtual machine through the first port.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

coupling the first network switch to a network;

receiving a first request from a first source device on the network, the first request including the first key information; and

in response to receiving the first request, sending a first reply to the first source device, the first reply including the first profile.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

coupling the network switch to a second source device;

receiving a second request from the second source device, the second request including second key operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with the second source device; and

receiving a second profile from the network, the second profile including;

the second key; and

second configuration information that configures the first network switch to enable data routing for the second source device through the first network switch.

16. Machine-executable code for an information handling system having a first resource, wherein the machine-executable code is embedded within a tangible medium and includes instructions for carrying out a method comprising:

receiving at a first port a first communication from a first virtual machine;

in response to receiving the first communication, creating in the first network switch a first profile including;

first key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with the first virtual machine; and

first configuration information operable to configure the first network switch to enable data routing for the first virtual machine through the first port;

receiving at a second port of the first network switch a second communication that includes the first key information; and

in response to receiving the second communication, applying the first configuration information to configure the first network switch to enable data routing for the first virtual machine through the second port.

17. The machine-executable code of claim 16, the method further comprising:

receiving at the first network switch a third communication from a second network switch, the third communication including the first key information; and

in response to receiving the third communication, sending the first profile to the second network switch.

18. The machine-executable code of claim 17, the method further comprising:

receiving at the first port a fourth communication that includes second key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the fourth communication, sending the second key information to the second network switch; and

in response to sending the second key information, receiving a second profile from the second network switch, the second profile including;

the second key information; and

second configuration information operable to configure the second network switch to enable data routing for the second virtual machine through the second network switch.

19. The machine-executable code of claim 16, the method further comprising:

coupling the first network switch to a profile manager;

sending the first profile to the profile manager;

receiving at the first port a second communication that includes second key information operable to identify data received by the first network switch as being associated with a second virtual machine on the host system;

in response to receiving the second communication, sending the second key information to the profile manager; and

in response to sending the second key information, receiving a second profile from the profile manager, the second profile including;

the second key information; and

second configuration information operable to configure the first network switch to enable data routing for the second virtual machine through the first port.

20. The machine-executable code of claim 16, the method further comprising:

coupling the first network switch to a network;

receiving a first request from a first source device on the network, the first request including the first key information; and

in response to receiving the first request, sending a first reply to the first source device, the first reply including the first profile.