VIRTUAL PORT GROUPING FOR VIRTUAL CLUSTER SWITCHING

• US 20110299534A1
• Filed: 04/22/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koganti, Phanidhar, Vobbilisetty, Suresh
• Granted Patent: US 8,989,186 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/462 LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4645 Details on frame tagging routing of packets H04L45/00; support for virtual LAN H04L49/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network 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 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/76 Routing in software-defined topologies, e.g. routing between virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/70 Virtual switches

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a port that couples to a server hosting a number of virtual machines. The switch also includes a set of virtual port grouping information and a virtual port grouping mechanism. During operation, the virtual port grouping mechanism determines whether a frame is traveling from a virtual port group to the same virtual port group. If the frame is not traveling to the same virtual port group, the virtual port grouping mechanism prevents the frame from being forwarded.

Claims

1. A switch, comprising:

a port configured to couple to a server hosting a number of virtual machines;

a set of virtual port grouping information;

a virtual port grouping mechanism configured to;

determine whether a frame is traveling from a virtual port group to the same virtual port group; and

prevent the frame from being forwarded upon a determination that the frame is not traveling to the same virtual port group.

2. The switch of claim 1,

wherein the virtual port grouping mechanism is further configured to determine a source virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s source media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

3. The switch of claim 1,

wherein the virtual port grouping mechanism is further configured to determine a destination virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s destination media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

4. The switch of claim 1, wherein the virtual grouping mechanism is further configured to obtain the virtual port grouping information from a virtual machine administrator.

5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the switch is a member switch of a virtual cluster switch includes a number of member switches;

wherein the member switches are allowed to be coupled in an arbitrary topology; and

wherein the virtual cluster switch appears to be a single logical switch.

6. The switch of claim 1, further comprising a forwarding mechanism configured to encapsulate the received frames with Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) headers.

7. A system, comprising:

a first switch coupled to a first server hosting a number of virtual machines; and

a second switch coupled to a second server hosting a number of virtual machines;

wherein the first switch comprises a virtual port grouping mechanism configured to;

determine whether a frame is traveling from a virtual port group to the same virtual port group; and

prevent the frame from being forwarded upon a determination that the frame is not traveling to the same virtual port group.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the virtual port grouping mechanism is further configured to determine a source virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s source media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

9. The system of claim 7,

wherein the virtual port grouping mechanism is further configured to determine a destination virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s destination media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the virtual grouping mechanism is further configured to obtain the virtual port grouping information from a virtual machine administrator.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is a virtual cluster switch which includes a number of member switches;

wherein the member switches are allowed to be coupled in an arbitrary topology; and

wherein the virtual cluster switch appears to be a single logical switch.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the first switch further comprises a forwarding mechanism configured to encapsulate the received frames with Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) headers.

13. A method, comprising:

maintaining by a switch a set of virtual port grouping information;

determining by the switch whether a frame is traveling from a virtual port group to the same virtual port group; and

preventing the frame from being forwarded upon a determination that the frame is not traveling to the same virtual port group.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a source virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s source media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the virtual port grouping mechanism is further configured to determine a destination virtual port group based on the frame'"'"'s destination media access control (MAC) address and virtual local area network (VLAN) tag.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising obtaining the virtual port grouping information from a virtual machine administrator.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the switch belongs to a virtual cluster switch which includes a number of member switches;

wherein the member switches are allowed to be coupled in an arbitrary topology; and

wherein the virtual cluster switch appears to be a single logical switch.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising encapsulating the received frames with Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links (TRILL) headers.

19. A switch means, comprising:

a port means for coupling to a server hosting a number of virtual machines;

a virtual port grouping means for;

determining whether a frame is traveling from a virtual port group to the same virtual port group; and

preventing the frame from being forwarded upon a determination that the frame is not traveling to the same virtual port group.