INFORMATION SYSTEM, CONTROL APPARATUS, METHOD OF PROVIDING VIRTUAL NETWORK, AND PROGRAM

• US 20130282867A1
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Otake, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,044,830 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• 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 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

An information system of the present invention includes a plurality of physical nodes each of which processes a packet received from external node(s) according to a processing rule (packet handling operation) that associates a matching rule for identifying a flow and processing content to be applied to a packet that matches the matching rule, and a control apparatus which sets the processing rule in each of the plurality of physical nodes, thereby causing the plurality of physical nodes to operate as virtual nodes on a virtual network(s) usable by the external node(s). The control apparatus includes a first storage unit defining a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of physical nodes and virtual network(s), and a second storage unit defining a correspondence relationship between each of the external node(s) and virtual node(s) on virtual network(s). The control apparatus determines the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the external node(s) is to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) to which the external node is connected and information on the external node(s).

Claims

1. An information system comprising:

a plurality of physical nodes each of which processes a packet received from one of one or more external nodes according to a packet handling operation that associates a matching rule for identifying a flow and processing content to be applied to a packet that matches the matching rule; and

a control apparatus which sets the packet handling operation in each of the plurality of physical nodes, thereby causing the plurality of physical nodes to operate as virtual nodes on a virtual network that may be used by the one or more external nodes;

wherein

the control apparatus comprises;

a first storage unit which defines a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of physical nodes and one of one or more virtual networks; and

a second storage unit which defines a correspondence relationship between each of the one or more external nodes and a virtual node on one of the one or more virtual networks;

the control apparatus determining the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the one or more external nodes is (are) to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) to which the external node(s) is connected and information on the external node(s)

2. The information system according to claim 1, wherein

upon receipt of a request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus determines the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the external node(s) is to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) that has transmitted the request for setting the packet handling operation and information on the external node(s) included in the request for setting the packet handling operation.

3. The information system according to claim 1, wherein the control apparatus further comprises:

a third storage unit which stores a correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network and the determined virtual node(s); and

when receiving the request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus refers to the third storage unit, and then when a corresponding entry may not be able to be discovered, the control apparatus refers to the first and second storage units to determine the virtual network and the virtual node(s) to which the external node is to be connected, and then stores in the third storage unit the correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network, and the determined virtual node(s).

4. The information system according to claim 1, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

5. The information system according to claim 1, wherein

in the second storage unit, information on the virtual node on the virtual network and a virtual interface of the virtual node is associated, for each of the one or more external nodes;

and

the control apparatus treats the external node as being connected to the virtual node on the virtual network through the virtual interface.

9. The information system according to claim 2, wherein the control apparatus further comprises:

a third storage unit which stores a correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network and the determined virtual node(s); and

when receiving the request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus refers to the third storage unit, and then when a corresponding entry may not be able to be discovered, the control apparatus refers to the first and second storage units to determine the virtual network and the virtual node(s) to which the external node is to be connected, and then stores in the third storage unit the correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network, and the determined virtual node(s).

10. The information system according to claim 2, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

11. The information system according to claim 3, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

6. A control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus is connected to a plurality of physical nodes each of which processes a packet received from one of one or more external nodes according to a processing rule that associates a matching rule for identifying a flow and processing content to be applied to a packet that matches the matching rule;

the control apparatus comprises;

a first storage unit that defines a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of physical nodes and one of one or more virtual networks; and

a second storage unit that defines a correspondence relationship between each of the one or more external nodes and a virtual node on one of the one or more virtual networks;

the control apparatus determining the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the one of the one or more external nodes is to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) to which the external node(s) is connected and information on the external node;

the control apparatus setting the processing rule in each of the plurality of physical nodes including the physical node(s) corresponding to the virtual node(s), thereby causing the plurality of physical nodes to operate as virtual nodes on the virtual network that may be used by the one or more external nodes.

12. The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

upon receipt of a request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus determines the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the external node(s) is to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) that has transmitted the request for setting the packet handling operation and information on the external node(s) included in the request for setting the packet handling operation.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the control apparatus further comprises:

a third storage unit which stores a correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network and the determined virtual node(s); and

when receiving the request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus refers to the third storage unit, and then when a corresponding entry may not be able to be discovered, the control apparatus refers to the first and second storage units to determine the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the external node(s) is to be connected, and then stores in the third storage unit the correspondence relationship among the physical node, the determined virtual network(s), and the determined virtual node(s).

14. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the control apparatus further comprises:

a third storage unit which stores a correspondence relationship among the physical node(s), the determined virtual network and the determined virtual node(s); and

when receiving the request for setting the packet handling operation from the physical node(s), the control apparatus refers to the third storage unit, and then when a corresponding entry may not be able to be discovered, the control apparatus refers to the first and second storage units to determine the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the external node(s) is to be connected, and then stores in the third storage unit the correspondence relationship among the physical node, the determined virtual network(s), and the determined virtual node(s).

15. The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

16. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

17. The control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

virtual network association is made for each interface of each of the plurality of physical nodes in the first storage unit;

and

the control apparatus makes virtual network determination according to the interface(s) of the physical node(s) that has received a packet related to a request for setting the packet handling operation.

18. The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

in the second storage unit, information on the virtual node(s) on the virtual network(s) and a virtual interface(s) of the virtual node(s) is associated, for each of the one or more external nodes;

and

the control apparatus treats the external node as being connected to the virtual node on the virtual network through the virtual interface.

19. The control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein

in the second storage unit, information on the virtual node(s) on the virtual network(s) and a virtual interface(s) of the virtual node(s) is associated, for each of the one or more external nodes;

and

the control apparatus treats the external node as being connected to the virtual node on the virtual network through the virtual interface.

20. The control apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

in the second storage unit, information on the virtual node(s) on the virtual network(s) and a virtual interface(s) of the virtual node(s) is associated, for each of the one or more external nodes;

and

the control apparatus treats the external node as being connected to the virtual node on the virtual network through the virtual interface.

21. The control apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

in the second storage unit, information on the virtual node(s) on the virtual network(s) and a virtual interface(s) of the virtual node(s) is associated, for each of the one or more external nodes;

and

the control apparatus treats the external node as being connected to the virtual node on the virtual network through the virtual interface.

7. A method of providing a virtual network, wherein the method comprises:

using a control apparatus connected to a plurality of physical nodes each of which processes a packet received from one of one or more external nodes according to a packet handling operation that associates a matching rule for identifying a flow and processing content to be applied to a packet that matches the matching rule;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining the virtual network(s) and the virtual node(s) to which the one of the one or more external nodes is to be connected, based on information on the physical node(s) to which the external node(s) is connected and information on the external node(s) by referring to a first storage unit which defines a correspondence relationship between each of the plurality of physical nodes and one of one or more virtual networks and a second storage unit which defines a correspondence relationship between each of the one or more external nodes and a virtual node(s) on one of the one or more virtual networks; and

causing the plurality of the physical nodes to operate as virtual nodes on the virtual network that may be used by the one or more external nodes by setting the packet handling operation in each of the plurality of physical nodes including the physical node corresponding to the virtual node(s).

8. (canceled)