Extension of address resolution protocol (ARP) for internet protocol (IP) virtual networks
First Claim
1. A method for identifying a physical address associated with a virtual address, wherein said physical address is associated with a network interface of a network device, wherein said virtual address is also associated with said network device, comprising:
- forming a request message at a first virtual networking device connected to a first virtual network, which is an MPLS network, and a second virtual network, which is an Ethernet, which share a physical link, and hosts on each network both use a same IP address, said request message including said virtual address and a virtual network identifier value, wherein said virtual network identifier value is stored in a field within a header of said request message separate from said virtual address, said virtual network identifier value associated with the first virtual network, said virtual network having a private address space including said virtual address;
transmitting said request message over a communication link to a second virtual network device of the second virtual network which uses the virtual network identifier value to determine a virtual router responsible for responding to the request message;
receiving a response to said request message at the first virtual network, said response including said physical address associated with said network interface of said network device;
storing said physical address of said network device associated with said virtual address in an entry in a data structure, wherein said entry further includes said virtual network identifier and said virtual address; and
translating IP addresses associated with the first virtual network to Ethernet/MAC addresses associated with the second virtual network with an address resolution table generated and maintained by the first virtual network device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for supporting translation of virtual IP addresses to Ethernet/MAC addresses in a multi-Virtual Network environment, in which address resolution tables are generated and maintained by Virtual Networking Devices. Virtual Networking Device (VND) sends and/or receives Virtual Network-specific ARP traffic. The Virtual Network-specific ARP traffic includes ARP requests or responses that map a MAC address to an IP address in the private IP address space of an associated Virtual Private Network. The disclosed Virtual Networking Devices can therefore operate in configurations in which multiple independent entities operate on separate Virtual Networks, and where servers may be accessible via virtual IP addresses within the private IP address spaces of associated Virtual Networks.
215 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for identifying a physical address associated with a virtual address, wherein said physical address is associated with a network interface of a network device, wherein said virtual address is also associated with said network device, comprising:
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forming a request message at a first virtual networking device connected to a first virtual network, which is an MPLS network, and a second virtual network, which is an Ethernet, which share a physical link, and hosts on each network both use a same IP address, said request message including said virtual address and a virtual network identifier value, wherein said virtual network identifier value is stored in a field within a header of said request message separate from said virtual address, said virtual network identifier value associated with the first virtual network, said virtual network having a private address space including said virtual address; transmitting said request message over a communication link to a second virtual network device of the second virtual network which uses the virtual network identifier value to determine a virtual router responsible for responding to the request message; receiving a response to said request message at the first virtual network, said response including said physical address associated with said network interface of said network device; storing said physical address of said network device associated with said virtual address in an entry in a data structure, wherein said entry further includes said virtual network identifier and said virtual address; and translating IP addresses associated with the first virtual network to Ethernet/MAC addresses associated with the second virtual network with an address resolution table generated and maintained by the first virtual network device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for identifying a physical address associated with a virtual address, wherein said physical address is associated with a network interface of a network device connected to a first virtual network, which is an MPLS network, and a second virtual network, which is an Ethernet, at a same time which share a physical link, and hosts on each network both use a same IP address, wherein said virtual address is also associated with said network device, comprising:
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at least one memory for storing program code; at least one processor, communicably coupled to said memory, said at least one processor operable to execute program code stored in said memory; program code, stored in said memory, said program code for identifying said physical address associated with said virtual address of a first virtual networking device of the first virtual network, said program code including program code for forming a request message to a second virtual networking device of the second virtual network, said request message including said virtual address and a virtual network identifier value, wherein said virtual network identifier value is stored in a field within a header of said request message separate from said virtual address, said virtual network identifier value associated with the first virtual network, said virtual network having a private address space including said virtual address, program code for transmitting said request message over a communication link to the second virtual networking device which uses the virtual network identifier value to determine a virtual router responsible for responding to the request message, program code for receiving a response to said request message, said response including said physical address associated with said network interface of said network device, and program code for storing said physical address of said network device associated with said virtual address in an entry in a data structure, wherein said entry further includes said virtual network identifier and said virtual address, said data structure translating IP addresses associated with the first virtual network to Ethernet/MAC addresses associated with the second virtual network with an address resolution table generated and maintained by the first virtual network device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for identifying a physical address associated with a virtual address, wherein said physical address is associated with a network interface of a network device connected to a first virtual network, which is an MPLS network, and a second virtual network, which is an Ethernet, at a same time which share a physical link, and hosts on each network both use a same IP address, wherein said virtual address is also associated with said network device, comprising:
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means for forming a request message, said request message including said virtual address and a virtual network identifier value, wherein said virtual network identifier value is stored in a field within a header of said request message separate from said virtual address, said virtual network identifier value associated with the first virtual network, said virtual network having a private address space including said virtual address; means for transmitting said request message over a communication link to a second virtual network device of the second virtual network which uses the virtual network identifier value to determine a virtual router responsible for responding to the request message; means for receiving a response to said request message, said response including said physical address associated with said network interface of said network device; and means for storing said physical address of said network device associated with said virtual address in an entry in a data structure, said data structure translating IP addresses associated with the first virtual network to Ethernet/MAC addresses associated with the second virtual network with an address resolution table generated and maintained by the first virtual network device wherein said entry further includes said virtual network identifier and said virtual address.
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Specification