COMPUTER SYSTEM AND VIRTUAL NETWORK VISUALIZATION METHOD

• US 20150019756A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Masuda, Takahisa
• Application Number:
  US14/377,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20150019756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/242
• 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 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• 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 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/028 Dynamic adaptation of the update intervals, e.g. event-triggered updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/14 Routing performance; Theoretical aspects

Abstract

A computer system according to the present invention includes a managing unit which outputs a plurality of virtual networks managed by a plurality of controllers in a visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined, on the basis of topology data of the virtual networks, the topology data being generated based on communication routes. This enables centralized management of the whole of a virtual network controlled by a plurality of controllers which use an OpenFlow technology.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a plurality of controllers, each of which calculates communication routes and sets flow entries onto switches on said communication routes;

switches which perform relaying of received packet in accordance with said flow entries set in flow tables of the switches; and

a managing unit which outputs a plurality of virtual networks managed by said plurality of controllers in a visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined, based on topology data of the virtual networks, the topology data being generated based on said communication routes.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said managing unit holds virtual node data identifying virtual nodes constituting said virtual networks and identifies a common virtual node shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data to combine said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual node.

3. The computer system according to claim 2, wherein said virtual nodes include virtual bridges,

wherein a combination of corresponding virtual bridges of said plurality of virtual bridges is described in said virtual node data, and

wherein said managing unit identifies a common virtual bridge shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data to combine said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual bridge.

4. The computer system according to claim 3, wherein said virtual nodes includes virtual externals which are recognized as connection destinations of said virtual bridges,

wherein a combination of corresponding virtual externals of said plurality of virtual externals is described in said virtual node data, and

wherein said managing unit identifies a common virtual external shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data to combine said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual external.

5. The computer system according to claim 2,

wherein virtual nodes and VLAN names are described to be correlated in said virtual node data, and

wherein said managing unit identifies a common virtual node shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on VLAN names included in said topology data and said virtual node data to combine said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual node.

6. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein said managing unit is mounted on any of said plurality of controllers.

7. A virtual network visualization method implemented on a computer system including:

a plurality of controllers which each calculate communication routes and set flow entries onto switches on said communication routes; and

switches which perform relaying of received packets in accordance with said flow entries set in flow tables of the switches, said method comprising;

by a managing unit, obtaining topology data of said plurality of virtual networks managed by said plurality of controllers, from said plurality of controllers; and

by said managing unit, outputting said plurality of virtual networks in a visually perceivable form with said plurality of virtual networks combined, based on the topology data of said respective virtual networks.

8. The visualization method according to claim 7, wherein said managing unit holds virtual node data identifying virtual nodes constituting said virtual networks, and

wherein the outputting said plurality of virtual networks in the visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined includes:

by said managing unit, identifying a common virtual node shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data; and

by said managing unit, combining said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual node.

9. The visualization method according to claim 8, wherein said virtual nodes include virtual bridges,

wherein a combination of corresponding virtual bridges of said plurality of virtual bridges is described in said virtual node data, and

wherein the outputting said plurality of virtual networks in the visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined includes:

by said managing unit, identifying a common virtual bridge shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data; and

by said managing unit, combining said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual bridge.

10. The visualization method according to claim 9, wherein said virtual nodes includes virtual externals which are recognized as connection destinations of said virtual bridges,

wherein a combination of corresponding virtual externals of said plurality of virtual externals is described in said virtual node data, and

wherein the outputting said plurality of virtual networks in the visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined includes:

by said managing unit, identifying a common virtual external shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on said topology data and said virtual node data; and

by said managing unit, combining said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual external.

11. The visualization method according to claim 8, wherein virtual nodes and VLAN names are described to be correlated in said virtual node data,

wherein the outputting said plurality of virtual networks in the visually perceivable form with the plurality of virtual networks combined includes:

by said managing unit, identifying a common virtual node shared by said plurality of virtual networks based on VLAN names included in said topology data and said virtual node data; and

by said managing unit, combining said plurality of virtual networks via said common virtual node.

12. A non-transitory recording device recording a visualization program which when executed causes a computer to implement steps of:

obtaining from a plurality of controllers topology data of a plurality of virtual networks managed by said plurality of controllers, said plurality of controllers each calculating communication routes and setting flow entries onto switches on said communication routes, and said switches performing relaying of received packets in accordance with said flow entries set in flow tables thereof; and

outputting said plurality of virtual networks in a visually perceivable form with said plurality of virtual networks combined, based on the topology data of said respective virtual networks.