Method and apparatus for allowing proprietary forwarding elements to interoperate with standard control elements in an open architecture for network devices

• US 7,203,740 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1999
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Keany, Bernard N., Yavatkar, Raj, Putzolu, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Rupal
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quang N.
• Application Number:
  US09/470,163
• Time in Patent Office: 2,666 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/220, 709/238, 709/239, 709/240, 709/241, 709/242, 709/246, 709/250, 370351-360
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/205 Quality of Service based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/254 Centralised controller, i.e. arbitration or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol switching, e.g. IP switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A computer system for allowing proprietary forwarding elements to interoperate with standard control elements in an open network architecture. The computer system comprises a forwarding element that is adapted to perform data forwarding functions in a computer network. A control element is adapted to perform network signaling and control functions in the computer network. The control element is adapted to generate a standardized data set for configuring the forwarding element. An interconnecting element operatively connects the forwarding element to the control element. A forwarding element plugin is integrated with the control element for receiving the standardized data set from the control element, translating the standardized data set into a specialized data set, and transmitting the specialized data set to the forwarding element to configure the forwarding element. The forwarding element utilizes the specialized data set to configure the forwarding element for performing data forwarding in the computer network.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a forwarding element to perform data forwarding in a computer network, the forwarding element configurable with device-specific instruction;

a control element to perform network signaling and control in the computer network, the control element outputting non-device-specific instructions to configure the forwarding element;

an interconnecting element operatively connecting the forwarding element to the control element;

a forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element to conceal from the control element a configuration interface of the forwarding element by receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element, translating the non-device-specific instructions into the device-specific instructions of the forwarding element, and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element, wherein the forwarding element utilizes the device-specific instructions to configure the forwarding element for performing data forwarding in the computer network; and

an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element for receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin, and for receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element.

2. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the device-specific instructions are transmitted in the form of a binary large object.

3. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the forwarding element further includes a decapsulator that receives the device-specific instructions and decapsulates them into data readable by a device-specific forwarding element interface of the forwarding element to configure the forwarding element.

4. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the device-specific instructions are transmitted to a decapsulator in the forwarding element for decapsulating the device-specific instructions.

5. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the device-specific instructions are encrypted before transmission to the forwarding element, and the encrypted device-specific instructions are decrypted at the forwarding element.

6. The computer system according to claim 1, wherein the forwarding element plugin is a dynamic link library.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the forwarding element is remotely located from the control element.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the device-specific instructions are indicative of the design or hardware implementation of the forwarding element.

9. A method for configuring a computer device, the method comprising:

generating non-device-specific instructions by a control element that performs network signaling and control functions for configuring a forwarding element that performs network packet forwarding functions;

transmitting the non-device-specific instructions from the control element to a forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, the forwarding element plugin to conceal from the control element a configuration interface of the forwarding element;

translating the non-device-specific instructions into device-specific instructions specialized for the forwarding element; and

transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element for configuring the forwarding element, wherein receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin by an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, and wherein receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element by said opaque forwarding element plugin.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the forwarding element is adapted to perform data forwarding in a computer network.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the control element is adapted to perform network signaling ad control in a computer network.

12. The method according to claim 9, further including:

decapsulating the device-specific instructions into data readable by a device-specific forwarding element interface of the forwarding element for configuring the forwarding element.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the device-specific instructions are sent in the form of a binary large object.

14. The method according to claim 9, further including:

encrypting the device-specific instructions before transmitting them to the forwarding element; and

decrypting the device-specific instructions at the forwarding element.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the forwarding element plugin is a dynamic link library.

16. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, the instructions perform:

concealing from a control element a configuration interface for a forwarding element by integrating a forwarding element plugin with the control element;

receiving non-device-specific instructions, generated by the control element, for configuring the forwarding element;

translating the non-device-specific instructions, by the forwarding element plugin, into device-specific instructions specialized for the forwarding element; and

transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element for configuring the forwarding element, wherein receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin by an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, and wherein receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element by said opaque forwarding element plugin.

17. The article according to claim 16, wherein the instructions further perform:

encrypting the device-specific instructions before transmission to the forwarding element.

18. The article according to claim 16, wherein the device-specific instructions are transmitted in the form of a binary large object.

19. The article according to claim 16, wherein the machine-readable medium includes a dynamic link library.