Distributed network virtualization apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A distributed network control system for controlling a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data in a network, the distributed network control system comprising:
- a first controller executing a first network virtualization application that manages a first set of logical data path sets, the first network virtualization application comprising;
a first interface for receiving first input logical forwarding plane data;
a first filter for identifying received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies any of the first set of logical data path sets in terms of logical forwarding rules and filtering out received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies logical data path sets not managed by the first network virtualization application; and
a first converter for converting the identified input logical forwarding plane data for each particular logical data path set managed by the first network virtualization application into physical control plane data for a particular set of the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the particular logical data path set; and
a second controller executing a second network virtualization application that manages a second set of logical data path sets, the second network virtualization application comprising;
a second interface for receiving second input logical forwarding plane data;
a second filter for identifying received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies any of the second set of logical data path sets in terms of logical forwarding rules and filtering out received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies logical data path sets not managed by the second network virtualization application; and
a second converter for converting the identified input logical forwarding plane data for each particular logical data path set managed by the second network virtualization application into physical control plane data for a particular set of the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the particular logical data path set.
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Abstract
Some embodiments provide a distributed control system for controlling managed switching elements of a network. The distributed control system comprises a first network virtualizer for converting a first set of input logical forwarding plane data to a first set of output physical control plane data. It also includes a second network virtualizer for converting a second set of input logical forwarding plane data to a second set of output physical control plane data. In some embodiments, the physical control plane data is translated into physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.
253 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A distributed network control system for controlling a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data in a network, the distributed network control system comprising:
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a first controller executing a first network virtualization application that manages a first set of logical data path sets, the first network virtualization application comprising; a first interface for receiving first input logical forwarding plane data; a first filter for identifying received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies any of the first set of logical data path sets in terms of logical forwarding rules and filtering out received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies logical data path sets not managed by the first network virtualization application; and a first converter for converting the identified input logical forwarding plane data for each particular logical data path set managed by the first network virtualization application into physical control plane data for a particular set of the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the particular logical data path set; and a second controller executing a second network virtualization application that manages a second set of logical data path sets, the second network virtualization application comprising; a second interface for receiving second input logical forwarding plane data; a second filter for identifying received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies any of the second set of logical data path sets in terms of logical forwarding rules and filtering out received input logical forwarding plane data that specifies logical data path sets not managed by the second network virtualization application; and a second converter for converting the identified input logical forwarding plane data for each particular logical data path set managed by the second network virtualization application into physical control plane data for a particular set of the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the particular logical data path set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A distributed network control system comprising:
a plurality of network controllers, each network controller comprising a network virtualization application for managing a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data in a network, each network virtualization application comprising; an interface for receiving input logical forwarding plane data for a plurality of different logical data path sets, wherein logical forwarding plane data for a particular logical data path set defines the particular logical data path set as a set of logical forwarding tables; a filter for identifying whether received input logical forwarding plane data is for one of a set of logical data path sets managed by the network virtualization application and filtering out input logical forwarding plane data for logical data path sets not managed by the network virtualization application; and a converter for converting input logical forwarding plane data for each particular logical data path set managed by the network virtualization application into physical control plane data that specifies rules for the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the particular logical data path set, wherein the filtered input logical forwarding plane data for logical data path sets not managed by the network virtualization application is for conversion into physical control plane data by a different one of the network virtualization applications of the network control system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. For a first network virtualization application that manages a first logical data path set comprising a configuration for one or more logical switching elements, a method comprising:
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receiving input logical forwarding plane data that defines a logical data path set in terms of a set of logical forwarding tables; when the received input logical forwarding plane data defines the first logical data path set, converting the received logical forwarding plane data into first output physical control plane data for distribution to a set of managed switching elements, the first output physical control plane data for subsequent translation by the set of managed switching elements into physical forwarding plane data that directs the forwarding of data packets by the managed switching elements in order to implement the one or more logical switching elements; and when the received input logical forwarding plane data defines a different logical data path set not managed by the first network virtualization application, filtering the received input logical forwarding plane data, wherein the filtered input logical forwarding plane data is for conversion into second physical control plane data by a different network virtualization application. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification