Efficient method and system for automatic discovery and verification of optimal paths through a dynamic multi-point meshed overlay network
First Claim
1. An overlay network for transporting a data packet through a base network, comprising:
- an ingress point coupled to the base network, wherein the ingress point maintains a virtual network routing table; and
an egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the egress point gathers information corresponding to a destination local subnet associated with the egress point, but not associated with the ingress point, and sends the gathered information to the ingress point for inclusion in the virtual network routing table;
wherein the ingress point further selects a virtual network circuit for transporting the data packet, the virtual network circuit beginning at the ingress point and ending at the egress point, and wherein the ingress point selects the circuit responsive to the virtual network routing table and a destination of the data packet, wherein the ingress point validates a route through the base network to the destination local subnet listed in the virtual network routing table by transmitting a probe packet to an address in the destination local subnet and receiving confirmation of detection from the egress point; and
a second egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the second egress point gathers information corresponding to a second destination local subnet associated with the second egress point, and sends the gathered information to the ingress point for inclusion in the virtual network routing table.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an efficient system and method for routing information through a dynamic network. The system includes at least one ingress point and one egress point. The ingress and egress point cooperate to form a virtual circuit for routing packets to destination subnets directly reachable by the egress point. The egress point automatically discovers which subnets are directly accessible via its local ports and summarizes this information for the ingress point. The ingress point receives this information, compiles it into a routing table, and verifies that those subnets are best accessed by the egress point. Verification is accomplished by sending probe packets to select addresses on the subnet. Additionally, the egress point may continue to monitor the local topology and incrementally update the information to the ingress to allow the ingress to adjust its compiled routing table.
42 Citations
41 Claims
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1. An overlay network for transporting a data packet through a base network, comprising:
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an ingress point coupled to the base network, wherein the ingress point maintains a virtual network routing table; and an egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the egress point gathers information corresponding to a destination local subnet associated with the egress point, but not associated with the ingress point, and sends the gathered information to the ingress point for inclusion in the virtual network routing table; wherein the ingress point further selects a virtual network circuit for transporting the data packet, the virtual network circuit beginning at the ingress point and ending at the egress point, and wherein the ingress point selects the circuit responsive to the virtual network routing table and a destination of the data packet, wherein the ingress point validates a route through the base network to the destination local subnet listed in the virtual network routing table by transmitting a probe packet to an address in the destination local subnet and receiving confirmation of detection from the egress point; and a second egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the second egress point gathers information corresponding to a second destination local subnet associated with the second egress point, and sends the gathered information to the ingress point for inclusion in the virtual network routing table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an overlay network, a method for verifying a virtual network routing table comprising the steps of:
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discovering information corresponding to a destination local subnet associated with an egress point; discovering information corresponding to a second destination local subnet associated with a second egress point; maintaining the virtual network routing table at an ingress point responsive to the discovered information corresponding to the destination local subnet and the discovered information corresponding to the second destination local subnet; selecting a virtual network circuit responsive to the virtual network routing table, the virtual circuit beginning at the ingress point and ending at the egress point; sending a probe packet from the ingress point to an address within the destination local subnet corresponding to a routing entry in the virtual network routing table; and confirming detection of the probe packet by the respective egress point corresponding to the destination local subnet. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An overlay network for transporting a data packet through a base network comprising:
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An egress point means for discovering information corresponding to a destination local subnet associated with the egress point means and for transmitting the discovered information to an ingress point means; an ingress point means for maintaining a virtual network routing table responsive to the transmitted information; and
for selecting a virtual network circuit responsive to the virtual network routing table, the virtual network circuit beginning at the ingress point means and ending at the egress point means.wherein the egress point means further comprises means for monitoring the destination local subnet for a chance and for transmitting an updated information corresponding to the change to the ingress point means, and wherein the ingress point means further comprises means for updating the virtual network routing table responsive to the updated information; and a means for sending a probe packet from the ingress point means to an address within the destination local subnet corresponding to a routing entry in the virtual network routing table; a means for confirming receipt of the probe packet by the egress point means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An overlay network for transmitting a data packet through a base network, comprising:
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an egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the egress point forwards the data packet to an associated destination local subnet; an ingress point coupled to the base network, wherein the ingress point maintains a virtual network routing table comprising a routing entry corresponding to the destination local subnet;
validates the routing entry by sending a probe packet to an address located in the destination local subnet and by receiving a confirmation from the egress point that the probe packet was detected; and
selects a virtual network circuit beginning at the ingress point and ending at the egress point responsive to the validated routing entry and the destination of the data packet; andat least one additional egress point coupled to the base network, wherein the at least one additional egress point forwards the data packet to at least one additional associated destination local subnet, wherein the virtual network routing table comprises at least one additional routing entry corresponding to the at least one additional destination local subnet, and wherein the ingress point validates the at least one additional routing entry by sending an at least one additional probe packet to an address located in the at least one additional destination local subnet and receiving a confirmation from the at least one additional egress point that the at least one additional probe packet was detected. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. In an overlay network, a method for validating a virtual network routing table comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a virtual network routing table at an ingress point; sending a probe packet from the ingress point to an address within a destination local subnet corresponding to an entry in the virtual network routing table; sending at least one additional probe packet from the ingress point to an address within an additional destination local subnet entry of the virtual network routing table; confirming detection of the probe packets by respective egress points corresponding to the destination local subnets; modifying the virtual network routing table responsive to the confirmation to indicate a validated entries;
anselecting a virtual network circuit for each of the validated entries in the virtual network routing table, the virtual network circuits selected to begin at the ingress point and to end at a respective one of the egress points. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A system for validating a virtual network routing table in an overlay network comprising:
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an ingress point means for maintaining the virtual network routing table and for sending a probe packet to a network address within a destination local subnet corresponding to a routing entry in the virtual network routing table; a egress point means associated with the destination local subnet for confirming detection of the probe packet; wherein the ingress point means modifies the virtual network routing table responsive to the confirmation from the egress point means to indicate a validated routing entry; and
selects a virtual network circuit responsive to the validated routing entry, the virtual network circuit beginning at the ingress point means and ending at the egress point means;wherein the virtual network routing table comprises an at least one additional destination local subnet entry; and wherein the ingress point means further comprises means for sending an at least one additional probe packet from the ingress point means to an address within the at least one additional destination local subnet entry. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification