Redundancy at a virtual provider edge node that faces a tunneling protocol core network for virtual private local area network (LAN) service (VPLS)

• US 8,077,709 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cai, Dezhong, Sajassi, Ali, Kobo, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWEET, LONNIE V
• Application Number:
  US11/857,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.53, 370/401, 370/409, 370/395.5, 370/252, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/389
• 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 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/50 using label swapping, e.g. multi-protocol label switch [MPLS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/66 Layer 2 routing, e.g. in Ethernet based MAN's
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/76 Routing in software-defined topologies, e.g. routing between virtual machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/80 Ingress point selection by the source endpoint, e.g. selection of ISP or POP

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving configuration data at a particular node of a first set of multiple nodes. The configuration data includes data that indicates a particular zero or more instances for which the particular node is primary among multiple virtual local area network (VLAN) instances to be forwarded. It is determined whether a VLAN indicated in a data packet received at the particular node is included in the particular instances for which the particular node is primary. If so, then the data packet is forwarded. In another embodiment, multiple nodes are configured to perform as a single virtual node, and the single virtual node is configured to forward data packets for the multiple VLAN.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving configuration data at a particular node of a virtual edge node, the first virtual edge node including a plurality of network facing provider edge (NPE) nodes each connected both to a core network that uses a tunneling protocol and an aggregation network, the configuration data including data identifying that the particular node is a primary node, of the plurality of NPE nodes, for one or more particular virtual local area network (VLAN) instances in a plurality of VLAN instances, wherein the aggregation network includes a second virtual edge node including a plurality of user facing provider edge (UPE) nodes that communicate with the plurality of VLAN instances,

identifying, in a data packet received at the particular node, an indication that the first data packet corresponds to a first VLAN;

determining that the VLAN is included in the one or more particular VLAN instances for which the particular node is the primary node; and

forwarding the data packet based at least in part on the determination that the first VLAN is included in the one or more particular VLAN.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more particular VLAN instances are fewer than all the plurality of VLAN instances, whereby a VLAN forwarding load is distributed among the plurality of NPE nodes.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

receiving configuration data includes receiving configuration data that includes backup node data that identifies one or more other nodes of the plurality of NPE nodes; and

the method further comprises;

identifying, in a second data packet received at the particular node, an indication that the second data packet corresponds to a data transmission over a second VLAN; and

determining that the second VLAN is not included in the one or more particular VLAN instances.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising determining that the one or more other nodes is not active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN;

forwarding the second data packet using the particular node to provide resilience against packet delivery failure.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising, exchanging messages between one or more of the plurality of NPE nodes to determine, for each of the plurality of VLAN instances, which of the plurality of NPE nodes is a primary node of the respective VLAN instance, wherein at least one of the one or more other nodes is a primary node of at least one other VLAN instance in the plurality of VLAN instances and a VLAN forwarding load is balanced among the particular node and the different one or more other nodes of the plurality of NPE nodes based at least in part on the exchanging of messages.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the one or more particular VLAN instances is associated with a virtual private LAN service (VPLS) and an associated tunnel across the core network, which terminates at the particular node.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the virtual edge node is operable for use in any one of a plurality of different aggregation networks, the plurality of aggregation networks including a aggregation network using a protocol and a second aggregation network using a second protocol different from the protocol.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the protocol used in the aggregation network is a spanning tree protocol (STP) that blocks traffic on redundant network segments between intermediate network nodes;

and, the plurality of NPE nodes does not process STP control packets.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the protocol is Multiple-Protocol Label Switching without a spanning tree protocol (STP) that blocks traffic on redundant network segments between intermediate network nodes and the second protocol is a spanning tree protocol (STP) that blocks traffic on redundant network segments between intermediate network nodes.

23. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising determining that at least one of the one or more other nodes is active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN, wherein the second data packet is not forwarded by the particular node based at least in part on the determination that at least one of the one or more other nodes is active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN and not forwarding the second packet, using the particular node, assists in avoidance of network loops.

10. A method comprising:

connecting directly each node of a plurality of nodes with every other node of the first plurality of nodes;

executing logic on each node of the plurality of nodes that causes the plurality of nodes to perform as a single virtual node with a single network address and media access control (MAC) identifier;

connecting a network interface on each node of the plurality of nodes to the same particular node in a core network that uses a tunneling protocol; and

connecting a different second network interface on each node of the plurality of nodes to a different aggregation network that includes a second plurality of user facing provider edge (UPE) nodes that communicates with a plurality of virtual local area network (VLAN) instance; and

executing logic on the single virtual node for forwarding data packets between the core network and the second plurality of UPE nodes for the plurality of VLAN instances.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising executing logic for a link aggregation control protocol (LACP) on the particular node in the core network to cause the particular node to bundle all direct connections from the particular node to the first network interface on each node of the plurality of nodes.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising associating with VLAN instance of the plurality of VLAN instances with a different instance of a virtual private LAN service (VPLS) and an associated set of one or more tunnels across the core network, which tunnels terminate at the single virtual node.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising executing logic for a link aggregation control protocol (LACP) on each UPE in the aggregation network to bundle links from the UPE to the single virtual node.

14. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein any protocol is used in the aggregation network.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein:

the protocol used in the aggregation network is a spanning tree protocol (STP) that blocks traffic on redundant network segments between intermediate network nodes; and

, the single virtual node does not process STP control packets.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the protocol used in the aggregation network is Multiple-Protocol Label Switching without a spanning tree protocol (STP) that blocks traffic on redundant network segments between intermediate network nodes.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces that are each configured for communicating a data packet with a packet-switched network;

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution, and, when executed, cause one or more processors to;

receive configuration data including primary node data identifying that the apparatus is a primary node for one or more particular virtual local area network (VLAN) instances;

identify an indication that a first data packet, received at a network interface of the plurality of network interfaces, corresponds to a VLAN instance;

determine that the VLAN instance is included in the one or more particular VLAN instances for which the apparatus is the primary node; and

forward the first data packet based at least in part on a determination that the first VLAN instance is included in the one or more particular VLAN instances; and

wherein the apparatus is included in a plurality of edge nodes of a virtual edge node, a fist plurality of the plurality of network interfaces are each configured for communicating a data packet with a core network that uses a tunneling protocol, and a second plurality of the plurality of network interfaces are each configured for communicating a data packet with an aggregation network that includes a plurality of user facing provider edge (UPE) nodes that communicate with the plurality of VLAN instances.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more particular VLAN instances are fewer than all the plurality of VLAN instances, whereby a VLAN forwarding load is distributed among a plurality of nodes.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein:

receiving configuration data includes receiving configuration data that includes backup node data that identifies one or more other nodes of the first plurality of nodes; and

the logic, when executed, further cause one or more processors to;

identify, in a second data packet received at a network interface of the plurality of network interfaces, an indication that the second data packet corresponds to a second VLAN instance; and

determine that the second VLAN instance is not included in the particular one or more VLAN instances for which the apparatus is the primary node.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the logic, when executed, further cause one or more processors to:

determine that the one or more other nodes is not active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN instance; and

forward the second data packet to provide resilience against packet delivery failure.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein the virtual edge node is operable for use in any one of a plurality of different aggregation networks, the plurality of aggregation networks including a aggregation network using a protocol and a second aggregation network using a second protocol different from the protocol.

24. An apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the logic, when executed, further cause one or more processors to determine that at least one of the one or more other nodes is active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN, wherein the second data packet is not forwarded by the apparatus based at least in part on a determination that at least one of the one or more other nodes is active for forwarding the second data packet of the second VLAN and not forwarding the second packet, using the apparatus, assists in avoidance of network loops.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a plurality of network interfaces that are each configured for communicating a data packet with an aggregation packet-switched network that includes a plurality of user facing provider edge (UPE) nodes that communicates with a plurality of virtual local area network (VLAN) instances;

a second plurality of network interfaces that are each configured for communicating a data packet with a particular node in a core packet-switched network that uses a tunneling protocol for forwarding data packets for the plurality of VLAN instances;

a plurality of processors, wherein each one of the plurality of processors is connected to a network interface of the plurality of network interfaces and a network interface of the second plurality of network interfaces and to every other processor in the plurality of processors; and

logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution on the plurality of processors, and, when executed, operable for

causing the plurality of processors to perform as a single virtual node with a single network address and media access control (MAC) identifier, and

forwarding data packets between the core network and the second plurality of user facing provider edge (UPE) nodes for the plurality of VLAN instances.