Managing context identifier assignment across multiple physical domains

• US 9,667,447 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koponen, Teemu, Davie, Bruce, Stribling, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Phunkulh, Bob
• Application Number:
  US14/320,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20150010012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0695 the faulty arrangement being the maintenance, administration or management system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• 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 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/64 using an overlay routing layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method for a first network controller located at a first physical domain that manages a logical network spanning several physical domains including the first domain. The method stores a set of context identifiers for assignment to logical entities. The context identifiers are for use in packets sent between managed forwarding elements in order to store logical network information in the packets. While connected to a master controller for the logical network at a second physical domain of the several physical domains, the method forwards state input requiring assignment of context identifiers to the master controller. While connectivity is lost with the master controller, the method assigns context identifiers from the stored set of context identifiers to logical entities.

Claims

1. For a first network controller located at a first physical domain that manages a logical network spanning a plurality of physical domains including the first domain, a method comprising:

storing a set of context identifiers for assignment to logical entities, the context identifiers for use in packets sent between managed forwarding elements in order to store logical network information in the packets;

while connected to a master controller for the logical network at a second physical domain of the plurality of physical domains, forwarding state input requiring assignment of context identifiers to the master controller; and

while connectivity is lost with the master controller, assigning context identifiers from the stored set of context identifiers to logical entities.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical entities comprise logical forwarding elements implemented by the managed forwarding elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the logical entities comprise logical ports of logical forwarding elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the managed forwarding elements use the context identifiers to identify logical egress ports of logical forwarding elements to which packets are logically forwarded when physically forwarding the packets to other managed forwarding elements.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

while disconnected from the master controller, receiving input to create a new logical entity in the logical network;

assigning a context identifier from the stored set of context identifiers to the new logical entity; and

in a queue, storing a state update relating to the creation of the new logical entity.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising computing the state update based on the received input prior to storing the state update in the queue.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising, upon reconnection, sending the state update to the master controller.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of context identifiers are reserved for use by network controllers at the first physical domain.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the master controller treats the context identifiers of the set of context identifiers as already in use.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of domains comprises a third domain, wherein a second set of context identifiers are reserved for use by the network controllers at the third domain.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the master controller stores a second set of context identifiers for use with the logical network, wherein the second set comprises (i) the first set of identifiers and (ii) additional identifiers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second set of context identifiers are assigned to the master controller for use with the logical network by a higher-level master that assigns context identifiers to master controllers for different logical networks.

13. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for a first network controller located at a first domain that manages a logical network spanning a plurality of physical domains including the first domain, the program for execution by at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

storing a set of context identifiers for assignment by the first network controller to logical entities, the context identifiers for use in packets sent between managed forwarding elements in order to store logical network information in the packets;

while connected to a master network controller for the logical network at a second physical domain of the plurality of physical domains, forwarding state input requiring assignment of context identifiers from the first network controller to the master network controller; and

while connectivity is lost with the master network controller, assigning context identifiers from the set of context identifiers stored at the first network controller to logical entities.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the logical entities comprise at least one of logical forwarding elements implemented by the managed forwarding elements and logical ports of the logical forwarding elements.

15. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the managed forwarding elements use the context identifiers to identify logical egress ports of logical forwarding elements to which packets are logically forwarded when physically forwarding the packets to other managed forwarding elements.

16. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the program further comprises sets of instructions for:

while disconnected from the master network controller, receiving input to create a new logical entity in the logical network;

assigning a context identifier from the stored set of context identifiers to the new logical entity; and

storing, in a queue, a state update relating to the creation of the new logical entity.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for computing the state update based on the received input prior to storing the state update in the queue.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for, upon reconnection, sending the state update to the master network controller.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the set of context identifiers are reserved for use by network controllers at the first physical domain.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein the plurality of domains comprises a third domain, wherein a second set of context identifiers are reserved for use by the network controllers at the third domain.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the master network controller stores a second set of context identifiers for use with the logical network, wherein the second set comprises (i) the first set of identifiers and (ii) additional identifiers.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second set of context identifiers are assigned to the master network controller for use with the logical network by a higher-level master that assigns context identifiers to master network controllers for different logical networks, wherein a third set of context identifiers are assigned to a second network controller for use with a second logical network for which the second network controller is a master network controller.