SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROL FLOW MANAGEMENT IN SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORKS

• US 20170078183A1
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Argela Yazilim Ve Bilisim Teknolojileri San. Ve Tic A.S.
• Original Assignee: Argela Yazilim Ve Bilisim Teknolojileri San. Ve Tic A.S.
• Inventors: TEKALP, A MURAT, CIVANLAR, SEYHAN, PARLAKISIK, MURAT, GORKEMLI, BURAK, LOKMAN, ERHAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,806,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/036 Updating the topology between route computation elements, e.g. between OpenFlow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/38 Flow based routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer

Abstract

A novel (software defined network) SDN control plane is introduced having new system capabilities to activate and deactivate controllers in real-time upon automatic measurement of network control traffic and service requirements, and proper controller interactions with network switches as control plane topology changes. Also introduced is a control flow table, which defines the assignment of certain control flows (by originator, location, service type, etc.) to different controllers within the SDN.

Claims

1. A method to dynamically reconfigure a software defined network (SDN) domain'"'"'s control plane when a new controller is needed, said method comprising:

when needed, activating a new controller in said SDN;

determining a control flow table to assign a control traffic flow group to said new controller in said SDN;

sending said control flow table to one or more switches in SDN, and

wherein said switches discover said new controller and reroutes control traffic to said new controller according to said control flow table.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said control flow table comprises information regarding which control flow is to be routed to which switch or to which controller in said SDN.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said control flow table is any of the following:

a static control flow table and a dynamic control flow table.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said switches in said SDN automatically discover newly connected controllers that are assigned to utilize them.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said new controller is a service specific controller.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said service specific controller is any of the following:

a video service, firewall service or deep packet inspection (DPI) service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein control flow tables are sent from a database storing a plurality of control flow tables to said one or more switches.

8. A method to dynamically reconfigure a software defined network (SDN) domain'"'"'s control plane comprising:

attaching a switch in said SDN directly to both a first controller and a second controller in said SDN;

receiving a control flow routing table at said switch; and

temporarily routing a first subset of control flows from said switch to said first controller and temporarily routing a second subset of control flows to said second controller.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said control flow table comprises information regarding which control flow is to be routed to which switch in said SDN.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said control flow table is any of the following:

a static control flow table and a dynamic control flow table.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein switches in said SDN automatically discover newly connected controllers that are assigned to utilize them.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said first controller and/or second controller is a service specific controller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said service specific controller is any of the following:

a video service, firewall service or deep packet inspection (DPI) service.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein control flow table is sent from a database storing a plurality of control flow tables to said switch in said SDN.

15. A method to dynamically reconfigure a software defined network (SDN) domain'"'"'s control plane comprising:

attaching a first switch in said SDN to a first controller in said SDN;

indirectly attaching said first switch to a second controller in said SDN via a second switch;

receiving a first control flow routing table at said first switch and a second control flow routing table at said second switch; and

routing a first portion of control flows defined in said first control flow routing table from said first switch to said first controller and routing a second portion of control flows defined in said second control flow routing table to said second switch, which in turn routes said second portion of control flows to said second controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said first and second control flow tables comprise information regarding which control flow is to be routed to which switch in said SDN.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of said first or second control flow tables are any of the following:

a static control flow table and a dynamic control flow table.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein switches in said SDN automatically discover newly connected controllers that are assigned to utilize them.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said first controller and/or second controller is a service specific controller.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said service specific controller is any of the following:

a video service, firewall service or deep packet inspection (DPI) service.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said first and second control flow tables are sent from a database storing a plurality of control flow tables to said first and second switches, respectively.

22. A method to dynamically reconfigure a software defined network (SDN) domain'"'"'s control plane comprising:

identifying when a switch is disconnected from a first controller;

directly reconnecting said switch to a second controller;

receiving a control flow routing table at said switch, and

sending control flows by said switch to said second controller as defined in said control flow routing table; and

identifying when said switch is reconnected to said first controller and disconnecting said switch from said second controller so that only one controller serves said switch.

23. A method to dynamically reconfigure a software defined network (SDN) domain'"'"'s control plane comprising:

a first controller determining a control flow table;

said first controller sending control flow table to a second controller;

receiving a control flow routing table at said second controller, and

receiving a control flow by said second controller and rerouting to said first controller as defined in said control flow routing table.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said first controller is a service specific controller.