Cloud-based services exchange

• US 9,948,552 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Equinix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Equinix Incorporated
• Inventors: Teng, Juxiang, Tarazi, Ihab
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Application Number:
  US15/099,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/256 NAT traversal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

In general, a cloud-based services exchange (or “cloud exchange”) for interconnecting multiple cloud service providers with multiple cloud service customers is described. The cloud exchange may enable cloud customers to bypass the public Internet to directly connect to cloud services providers so as to improve performance, reduce costs, increase the security and privacy of the connections, and leverage cloud computing for additional applications. In this way, enterprises, network carriers, and SaaS customers, for instance, can integrate cloud services with their internal applications as if such services are part of or otherwise directly coupled to their own data center network.

Claims

1. A cloud-based services exchange point comprising:

a layer three (L3) autonomous system located within a data center;

a plurality of attachment circuits configured to connect, respectively, within the data center, a plurality of cloud service provider networks to the L3 autonomous system; and

an attachment circuit configured to connect, within the data center, a customer network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured to interconnect the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network by establishing end-to-end L3 paths between the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network, each end-to-end L3 path including one of the plurality of attachment circuits connecting the plurality of cloud service provider networks to the L3 autonomous system and also including the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured to forward cloud service traffic for at least one cloud service, received from each of the plurality of cloud service networks on each of the plurality of attachment circuits, to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

2. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 1, wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured with an autonomous system number that identifies the L3 autonomous system within an autonomous system path to a routing protocol.

3. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 1,

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured to aggregate, to form aggregated cloud service traffic, first cloud service traffic originating from a first cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks and second cloud service traffic originating from a second cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks, and

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured to deliver the aggregated cloud service traffic to the customer network.

4. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 1, wherein the customer network comprises one of a network service provider network and an enterprise network.

5. The cloud-based services change point of claim 1,

wherein the L3 autonomous system comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network interconnecting a plurality of provider edge (PE) routers by a plurality of tunnels, and

wherein each of the end-to-end L3 paths comprises one of the plurality of tunnels.

6. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 5,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric, and

wherein the plurality of PE routers are configured to obtain configuration data defining one or more virtual private network routing and forwarding instances (VRFs) for a cloud service of the at least one cloud service and provided by a cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks.

7. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 5,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a first PE router of the plurality of PE routers is configured to export a L3 route specifying a route to a cloud service of the at least one cloud service and provided by a cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks, the first PE router coupled to an attachment circuit of the plurality of attachment circuits that connects the cloud service provider network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a second PE router of the plurality of PE routers is configured to import the L3 route specifying the route to the cloud service, the second PE router coupled to the attachment circuit that connects the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein the first PE router is configured to forward cloud service traffic for the cloud service to the second PE router according to the L3 route.

8. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 7, wherein the first PE router is a hub router and the second PE router is a spoke router for a hub-and-spoke virtual private network for the cloud service.

9. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 5,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a first PE router of the plurality of PE routers is configured to export a L3 route specifying a route to the customer network, the first PE router coupled to the attachment circuit that connects the customer network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a second PE router of the plurality of PE routers is configured to import the L3 route specifying the route to the customer network, the second PE router coupled to an attachment circuit of the plurality of attachment circuits that connects the cloud service provider to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein the first PE router is configured to forward cloud service traffic for the cloud service to the second PE router according to the L3 route.

10. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 9, wherein the first PE router is a spoke router and the second PE router is a hub router for a hub-and-spoke virtual private network for the cloud service.

11. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 1,

wherein the customer network receives L3 routes for the plurality of cloud service provider networks from one of an operator of the cloud-based services exchange point and the L3 autonomous system.

12. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 1,

wherein the L3 autonomous system communicates with a network address translation (NAT) service device configured to apply a NAT service to the cloud service traffic,

wherein the cloud service traffic comprises destination L3 addresses that are L3 addresses advertised by the cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks,

wherein to apply the NAT service to the cloud service traffic the NAT service device is configured to modify the destination L3 addresses of the cloud service traffic to generate modified cloud service traffic that comprises destination L3 addresses that are L3 addresses advertised by the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein to forward the cloud service traffic to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, the L3 autonomous system is configured to forward, based on the destination L3 addresses of the modified cloud service traffic, the modified cloud service traffic to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

13. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 12,

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured with a first virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF) to receive the cloud service traffic, and

wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured with a second virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF) to receive the modified cloud service traffic from the NAT device and forward the modified cloud service traffic to the customer network via the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

14. The cloud-based services exchange point of claim 12,

wherein the NAT service device is configured with an address pool that includes the L3 addresses advertised by the cloud cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks, and

wherein the NAT service device is configured to automatically map, in response to receiving the L3 addresses advertised by the customer network, the L3 addresses advertised by the customer network to the L3 addresses advertised by the cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a layer three (L3) autonomous system of a cloud-based services exchange point and located within a data center, configuration data defining,

a plurality of attachment circuits configured to connect, respectively, within the data center, a plurality of cloud service provider networks to the L3 autonomous system and an attachment circuit configured to connect, within the data center, a customer network to the L3 autonomous system;

interconnecting, by the L3 autonomous system, the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network to establish end-to-end L3 paths between the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network, each end-to-end L3 path including one of the plurality of attachment circuits connecting the plurality of cloud service provider networks to the L3 autonomous system and also including the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system;

forwarding, by the L3 autonomous system, cloud service traffic for at least one cloud service, received from each of the plurality of cloud service networks on each of the plurality of attachment circuits, to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the L3 autonomous system is configured with an autonomous system number that identifies the L3 autonomous system within an autonomous system path to a routing protocol.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

aggregating, by the L3 autonomous system to form aggregated cloud service traffic, first cloud service traffic originating from a first cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks and second cloud service traffic originating from a second cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks; and

delivering, by the L3 autonomous system, the aggregated cloud service traffic to the customer network.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the customer network comprises one of a network service provider network and an enterprise network.

19. The method of claim 15,

wherein the L3 autonomous system comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network interconnecting a plurality of provider edge (PE) routers by a plurality of tunnels, and

wherein each of the end-to-end L3 paths comprises one of the plurality of tunnels.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric, and

wherein the plurality of PE routers obtain configuration data defining one or more virtual private network routing and forwarding instances (VRFs) for a cloud service of the at least one cloud service and provided by a cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks.

21. The method of claim 19,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a first PE router of the plurality of PE routers exports a L3 route specifying a route to a cloud service of the at least one cloud service and provided by a cloud service provider network of the plurality of cloud service provider networks, the first PE router coupled to an attachment circuit of the plurality of attachment circuits that connects the cloud service provider network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a second PE router of the plurality of PE routers imports the L3 route specifying the route to the cloud service, the second PE router coupled to the attachment circuit that connects the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein the first PE router forwards cloud service traffic for the cloud service to the second PE router according to the L3 route.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first PE router is a hub router and the second PE router is a spoke router for a hub-and-spoke virtual private network for the cloud service.

23. The method of claim of claim 19,

wherein the IP network comprises an IP/Multiprotocol label switching (IP/MPLS) fabric,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a first PE router of the plurality of PE routers exports a L3 route specifying a route to the customer network, the first PE router coupled to the attachment circuit that connects the customer network to the L3 autonomous system,

wherein, to establish the end-to-end L3 paths, a second PE router of the plurality of PE routers imports the L3 route specifying the route to the customer network, the second PE router coupled to an attachment circuit of the plurality of attachment circuits that connects the cloud service provider to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein the first PE router forwards cloud service traffic for the cloud service to the second PE router according to the L3 route.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first PE router is a spoke router and the second PE router is a hub router for a hub-and-spoke virtual private network for the cloud service.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein a network address translation (NAT) service device applies a NAT service to the cloud service traffic.

26. The method of claim 25,

wherein the cloud service traffic comprises destination L3 addresses that are L3 addresses advertised by the cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks,

wherein to apply the NAT service to the cloud service traffic the NAT service device modifies the destination L3 addresses of the cloud service traffic to generate modified cloud service traffic that comprises destination L3 addresses that are L3 addresses advertised by the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, and

wherein to forward the cloud service traffic to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system, the L3 autonomous system is configured to forward, based on the destination L3 addresses of the modified cloud service traffic, the modified cloud service traffic to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving, by the L3 autonomous system with a first virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF) configured in the L3 autonomous system, the cloud service traffic; and

receiving, by the L3 autonomous system with a second virtual routing and forwarding instance (VRF) configured in the L3 autonomous system, the modified cloud service traffic from the NAT device and forwarding the modified cloud service traffic to the customer network via the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the L3 autonomous system.

28. The method of claim 26,

wherein the NAT service device is configured with an address pool that includes the L3 addresses advertised by the cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks, and

wherein the NAT service device automatically maps, in response to receiving the L3 addresses advertised by the customer network, the L3 addresses advertised by the customer network to the L3 addresses advertised by the cloud-based services exchange point to the plurality of cloud service provider networks.

29. A cloud exchange comprising:

an interconnection platform; and

one or more cloud exchange points comprising respective, different layer three (L3) autonomous systems and located within respective, different data centers;

a plurality of attachment circuits configured to connect, respectively, a plurality of cloud service provider networks to the one or more L3 autonomous systems; and

an attachment circuit configured to connect a customer network to one of the one or more L3 autonomous systems,

wherein the interconnection platform is configured to configure the one or more L3 autonomous systems to interconnect the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network by establishing end-to-end L3 paths between the plurality of cloud service provider networks and the customer network, each end-to-end L3 path including one of the plurality of attachment circuits connecting the plurality of cloud service provider networks to the one or more L3 autonomous systems and also including the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the one of the L3 autonomous systems, and

wherein the interconnection platform is configured to configure the L3 autonomous system to forward cloud service traffic for at least one cloud service, received from each of the plurality of cloud service networks on each of the plurality of attachment circuits, to the attachment circuit connecting the customer network to the one of the L3 autonomous systems.