Object Oriented Networks

• US 20140156814A1
• Filed: 01/14/2013
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barabash, Katherine, Cohen, Rami, Lewin-Eytan, Liane, Rochwerger, Benny, Wolfsthal, Yaron
• Granted Patent: US 9,313,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• 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 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements

Abstract

An approach is provided in which a system creates a network application model that includes network policy objects and connection rules corresponding to sending data between the network policy objects. The system converts the network application model to network configuration information, which links the network policy objects to the connection rules. In turn, a network control plane is configured based upon the network configuration information to map the network application model to a physical infrastructure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating, by one or more processors, a network application model that includes a plurality of network policy objects and a plurality of connection rules corresponding to sending data between a plurality of endpoints assigned to the network policy objects;

converting, by one or more of the processors, the network application model to network configuration information, the network configuration information linking the plurality of network policy objects to the plurality of connection rules; and

configuring, by one or more of the processors, a network control plane, based upon the network configuration information, to map the network application model to a physical infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein, prior to creating the network application model, the method further comprises:

defining an object-oriented network modeling language that includes one or more network policy object requirements and one or more language primitives;

creating the plurality of network policy objects based upon the one or more network policy object requirements; and

extending a first network policy object to a second network policy object according to one of the language primitives, the first network policy object and the second network policy object included in the plurality of network policy objects.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the converting further comprising:

generating one or more first table entries in a first rules table corresponding to the first network policy object, wherein the first rules table includes one or more first destination network policy object identifiers and one or more first connection rules;

generating one or more second table entries in a second rules table corresponding to the second network policy object, wherein the second rules table includes one or more second destination network policy object identifiers and one or more second connection rules, wherein;

one of the second connection rules overrides one of the first connection rules when the second connection rule'"'"'s corresponding second destination network policy object identifier matches one of the first connection rule'"'"'s corresponding first network policy object identifier; and

one of the second connection rules adds to the first connection rules when the second connection rule'"'"'s corresponding second destination network policy object identifier fails to match one of the first network policy object identifiers.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a policy resolution request, from a requestor, corresponding to a source endpoint that includes a source network policy object identifier and a destination virtual address;

identifying a destination network policy object identifier that corresponds to the destination virtual address;

determining that the source network policy object identifier corresponds to the second network policy object;

searching the second rules table for the destination network policy object identifier;

in response to locating the destination network policy object identifier in the second rules table;

extracting one of the second rules from the second rules table corresponding to the located destination network policy object identifier;

identifying an action corresponding to the extracted second rule;

including the action in a policy resolution response; and

sending the policy resolution response the requestor, wherein the requestor re-configures the network control plane according to the policy resolution response.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

in response to failing to locate the destination network policy object identifier in the second rules table;

searching the first rules table for the destination network policy object identifier;

locating the destination network policy object identifier in the first rules table;

extracting one of the first rules from the first rules table that corresponds to the located destination network policy object identifier;

identifying a different action that corresponds to the extracted first rule;

including the different action in a different policy resolution response; and

sending the different policy resolution response to the requestor wherein the requestor re-configures the network control plane according to the different policy resolution response.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

including an extended network policy object identifier in the second rules table that identifies the first network policy object.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to assign an endpoint to one of the plurality of network policy objects;

creating an endpoint entry in an endpoint table, the endpoint entry including an endpoint identifier that identifies the endpoint and a network policy object identifier that identifies the one of the plurality of network policy objects; and

updating the network configuration information in response to assigning the endpoint to the one of the plurality of network policy objects.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an endpoint lifecycle event, wherein the endpoint lifecycle event is selected from the group consisting of a configuration update, an existing endpoint change, an endpoint migration, and an endpoint removal; and

updating the network configuration information according to the endpoint lifecycle event.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving one or more network application model updates; and

updating the network configuration information according to the received one or more network application model updates.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more object oriented network language primitives are selected from the group consisting of an override primitive, an extend primitive, and an append primitive.