METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING FORWARDING STATES IN A NETWORK DEVICE OF A SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORK

• US 20170070416A1
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: SAMBASIVAM, Sasidharan S., NARAYANAN, Bhalaji, PALANISAMY, Periyasamy, KAR, Shuva Jyoti, GUNASEKARAN, Amudhan
• Application Number:
  US14/846,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070416A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/42 Centralised routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer

Abstract

A method in a network controller coupled to a network device of a software defined network (SDN), of modifying forwarding table entries of the network device is described. The method includes constructing a first message including a flow profile associated with a plurality of flows and an install profile command, where the flow profile includes a flow profile identifier, and a set of default parameter values that are common for the plurality of flows. The method continues with causing the network device to install the flow profile associated with the plurality of flows.

Claims

1. A method, in a network controller coupled to a network device of a software defined network (SDN), of modifying forwarding table entries of the network device, the method comprising:

constructing a first message including a flow profile associated with a plurality of flows and an install profile command, wherein the flow profile includes a flow profile identifier, and a set of default parameter values that are common for the plurality of flows; and

causing the network device to install the flow profile associated with the plurality of flows.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing includes:

sending the first message including the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values and the install profile command to the network device; and

causing the network device to store a flow profile entry including the flow profile identifier and the set of default parameter values on the network device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing the network device to store a flow profile entry, includes causing the network device to store the flow profile entry at an OpenFlow agent of the network device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the network device to modify a flow from the plurality of flows based on the flow profile.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the causing to modify the flow includes:

identifying the flow from the plurality of flows;

identifying the flow profile associated with the flow from the plurality of flows, wherein the flow profile includes the flow profile identifier;

constructing a second message including the flow profile identifier, a set of parameter values associated with the flow, and a modify flow command; and

causing the network device to modify a forwarding table entry in a forwarding table for the flow, based on the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values, and the set of parameter values associated with the flow.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein to modify the forwarding table entry includes to install a new forwarding table entry in the forwarding table.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein to modify the forwarding table entry includes to modify an existing forwarding table entry in the forwarding table.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to the constructing:

identifying the flow profile associated with the plurality of flows, wherein the identifying includes identifying the flow profile identifier, and the set of default parameter values.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying a flow profile includes receiving as input from an application the plurality of flows to be associated with the flow profile.

10. A network controller to be coupled to a network device in a software defined network (SDN), comprising:

a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network controller is operative to;

construct a first message including a flow profile associated with a plurality of flows and an install profile command, wherein the flow profile includes a flow profile identifier, and a set of default parameter values that are common for the plurality of flows; and

cause the network device to install the flow profile associated with the plurality of flows.

11. The network controller of claim 10, wherein to cause the network device to install the flow profile includes:

to send the first message including the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values and the install profile command to the network device; and

to cause the network device to store a flow profile entry including the flow profile identifier and the set of default parameter values on the network device.

12. The network controller of claim 10, wherein to cause the network device to store a flow profile entry, includes causing the network device to store the flow profile entry at an OpenFlow agent of the network device.

13. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the network controller is further operative to:

cause the network device to modify a flow from the plurality of flows based on the flow profile.

14. The network controller of claim 13, wherein the network controller is further operative to:

identifying the flow from the plurality of flows;

identifying the flow profile associated with the flow from the plurality of flows, wherein the flow profile includes the flow profile identifier;

constructing a second message including the flow profile identifier, a set of parameter values associated with the flow, and a modify flow command; and

causing the network device to modify a forwarding table entry in a forwarding table for the flow, based on the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values, and the set of parameter values associated with the flow.

15. The network controller of claim 14, wherein to modify the forwarding table entry includes to install a new forwarding table entry in the forwarding table.

16. The network controller of claim 14, wherein to modify the forwarding table entry includes to modify an existing forwarding table entry in the forwarding table.

17. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the network controller is further operative, prior to construct the first message, to identify the flow profile associated with the plurality of flows, wherein to identify includes to identify the flow profile identifier, and the set of default parameter values.

18. The network controller of claim 17, wherein identifying a flow profile includes receiving as input from an application the plurality of flows to be associated with the flow profile.

19. A method in a network device coupled with a network controller of a software defined network (SDN), the method comprising:

receiving a first message from the network controller, wherein the first message includes a flow profile associated with a plurality of flows and an install profile command, wherein the flow profile includes a flow profile identifier, and a set of default parameter values that are common for the plurality of flows; and

storing, in response to the receiving of the first message, a flow profile entry including the flow profile identifier and the set of default parameter values.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first message is an OpenFlow message and the storing includes storing the flow profile entry in an OpenFlow agent of the network device without modifying forwarding tables of the network device.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

Receiving a second message from the network controller, wherein the second message includes the flow profile identifier, a set of parameter values associated with a flow, and a modify flow command; and

modifying, in response to the receiving of the second message, a forwarding table entry in a forwarding table of the network device based on the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values, and the set of parameter values associated with the flow.

22. A network device to be coupled to a network controller in a software defined network (SDN), comprising:

a processor and a memory, said memory containing instructions executable by the processor whereby the network device is operative to;

receive a first message from the network controller, wherein the first message includes a flow profile associated with a plurality of flows and an install profile command, wherein the flow profile includes a flow profile identifier, and a set of default parameter values that are common for the plurality of flows; and

store, in response to the receiving of the first message, a flow profile entry including the flow profile identifier and the set of default parameter values.

23. The network device of claim 22, wherein the network device is further operative to:

receive a second message from the network controller, wherein the second message includes the flow profile identifier, a set of parameter values associated with a flow, and a modify flow command; and

modify, in response to the receiving of the second message, a forwarding table entry in a forwarding table of the network device based on the flow profile identifier, the set of default parameter values, and the set of parameter values associated with the flow.