Methods and apparatus for configuring a virtual network switch
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- sending a configuration signal to a virtual network switch within a control plane of a communications network such that the virtual network switch defines a network rule based on the configuration signal;
receiving a data packet from the virtual network switch when a processing duration associated with the data packet and determined by the virtual network switch meets a criterion, the network rule being applied to the data packet by the virtual network switch when the processing duration does not meet the criterion; and
applying the network rule in response to receiving the data packet and when the processing duration meets the criterion.
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Abstract
In one embodiment, a method includes sending a configuration signal to a virtual network switch module within a control plane of a communications network. The configuration signal is configured to define a first network rule at the virtual network switch module. The method also includes configuring a packet forwarding module such that the packet forwarding module implements a second network rule, and receiving status information from the virtual network switch module and status information from the packet forwarding module. The status information is received via the control plane.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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sending a configuration signal to a virtual network switch within a control plane of a communications network such that the virtual network switch defines a network rule based on the configuration signal; receiving a data packet from the virtual network switch when a processing duration associated with the data packet and determined by the virtual network switch meets a criterion, the network rule being applied to the data packet by the virtual network switch when the processing duration does not meet the criterion; and applying the network rule in response to receiving the data packet and when the processing duration meets the criterion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory; and a processor configured to forward data packets based on a plurality of network rules defined at the processor, the processor operatively coupled to the memory, the processor configured to communicate with a first virtual switch hosted at a first computing device and a second virtual switch hosted at a second computing device, the first virtual switch and the second virtual switch each being configured to function as an access switch or a distributed component of an access switch, the processor configured to cause the first virtual switch to apply a first network rule to data packets received at the first virtual switch, the processor configured to cause the second virtual switch to apply a second network rule to data packets received at the second virtual switch, the processor configured to cause the first virtual switch to transfer the first network rule from the first virtual switch to the second virtual switch based on status information received from the first virtual switch and status information received from the second virtual switch. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method, comprising:
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sending a configuration signal to a first virtual network switch within a control plane of a communications network such that the first virtual network switch defines a first network rule based on the configuration signal; causing a second virtual network switch to implement a second network rule; receiving, via the control plane, status information from the first virtual network switch; receiving, via the control plane, status information from the second virtual network switch; and causing the second virtual network switch to transfer the second network rule from the second virtual network switch to the first virtual network switch based on the status information from the first virtual network switch and the status information from the second virtual network switch. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification