Method, network card, and communication system for binding physical network ports

• US 8,902,731 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zeng, Yungang, Peng, Lin, Zhang, Zhongjun
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, SAI MING
• Application Number:
  US13/711,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 370/218, 370/254
• US Class Current: 370/218
• 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 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting

Abstract

A method for binding physical network ports for network communications creates in an application layer virtual ports that correspond to virtual network cards. Each virtual port is capable of being bound in the application layer with other created virtual ports. Multiple physical network ports, which need to be bound, are added to the created virtual ports. To receive or transmit a packet, one or more available physical network ports are selected according to a configured mode for receiving or transmitting the packet. If the configured mode is a server load balancing mode, a physical network port that corresponds to a quintuple of the packet is identified, and the packet is received or transmitted through the identified physical network port. When no corresponding physical port is found, a physical network port with minimum traffic is selected for receiving or transmitting the packet.

Claims

1. A method for binding physical network ports, comprising:

creating a virtual port, wherein the virtual port corresponds to a virtual network card in an application layer that is capable of being bound, in the application layer, with other created virtual ports through application layer software;

adding multiple physical network ports, which need to be bound, to the created virtual port;

when communications of the physical network ports in the virtual port are normal, identifying the physical network ports as being available; and

when a packet needs to be received or transmitted, selecting one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports according to a configured mode to receive or transmit the packet;

wherein the step of selecting one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports comprises;

if the configured mode is a server load balancing mode, searching correspondence between stored quintuples of packets and physical network ports according to a quintuple of the packet to determine whether a corresponding physical network port exists; and

if the corresponding physical network port exists, receiving or transmitting the packet through the determined physical port;

if no corresponding physical network port exists, selecting a physical network port with minimum traffic from the available physical network ports, and receiving or transmitting the packet through the selected physical network port.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein adding of the multiple physical network ports, which need to be bound, to the created virtual port comprises:

determining, from the multiple physical network ports that need to be bound, physical network ports that exist in a physical layer that are not bound; and

adding the determined physical network ports to the created virtual port.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein after identifying that the physical network ports are available, the method further comprises:

checking at regular time intervals whether communications of the physical network ports in the virtual port are normal;

if the communications are normal, determining that the physical network ports are available; and

if the communications are abnormal, determining that the physical network ports are unavailable.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein selection of one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports according to the configured mode to receive or transmit the packet comprises:

if the configured mode is a load balancing mode, receiving or transmitting the packet through the available physical network ports.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein selection of one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports according to the configured mode to receive or transmit the packet comprises:

if the configured mode is a redundancy backup mode, designating a physical network port from the available physical network ports; and

if communication of the designated physical network port is normal, receiving or transmitting the packet through the designated physical network port;

if communication of the designated physical network port is abnormal, designating a new physical network port from the available physical network ports to receive and/or transmit the packet.

6. A network card, comprising:

a creation module configured to create a virtual port, wherein the virtual port corresponds to a virtual network card in an application layer and that is capable of being bound, in the application layer, with other created virtual ports through application layer software;

an addition module configured to add, to the created virtual port, multiple physical network ports that need to be bound;

a determining module configured to;

when communications of the physical network ports in the virtual port are normal, identify the physical network ports in normal communication as being available; and

a packet transceiver module configured to;

when a packet needs to be received or transmitted, select one or more available physical network ports according to a configured mode to receive or transmit the packet;

wherein the packet transceiver module comprises;

a search unit configured to;

if the configured mode is a server load balancing mode, search correspondence between stored quintuples of packets and physical network ports according to a quintuple of the packet to determine whether a corresponding physical network port exists; and

a selection unit configured to;

if the corresponding physical network port exists, receive or transmit the packet through the determined physical network port, and if no corresponding physical network port exists, select a physical network port with minimum traffic from the available physical network ports, and receive or transmit the packet through the selected physical network port.

7. The network card according to claim 6, wherein the addition module is configured to determine, from the multiple physical network ports that need to be bound, physical network ports that exist in a physical layer that are not bound, and add the determined physical network ports to the created virtual port.

8. The network card according to claim 6, further comprising:

a checking module configured to check at regular time intervals whether communications of the physical network ports in the virtual port are normal;

if the communications are normal, identify the physical network ports as being available;

if the communications are abnormal, determine the physical network ports as being unavailable.

9. The network card according to claim 6, wherein the packet transceiver module is configured to:

if the configured mode is a load balancing mode, receive or transmit the packet through the available physical network ports.

10. The network card according to claim 6, wherein the packet transceiver module is configured to:

if the configured mode is a redundancy backup mode, designate a physical network port from the available physical network ports;

if communication of the designated physical network port is normal, receive or transmit the packet through the designated physical network port;

if the communication of the designated physical network port is abnormal, designate a new physical network port from the available physical network ports to receive or transmit the packet.

11. A communication system, comprising:

a central processing unit CPU; and

a network card, wherein the network card comprises multiple physical network ports;

wherein the CPU is configured to run application layer programs to process service data; and

the network card is configured to;

create a virtual port, wherein the virtual port corresponds to a virtual network card in an application layer that is capable of being bound, in the application layer, with other created virtual ports through application layer software;

add, to the created virtual port, multiple physical network ports, which need to be bound;

when communications of the physical network ports in the virtual port are normal, identify the physical network ports as being available; and

when a packet needs to be received or transmitted, select one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports according to a configured mode to receive or transmit the packet;

wherein the operation of selecting one or more physical network ports from the available physical network ports comprises;

if the configured mode is a server load balancing mode, searching correspondence between stored quintuples of packets and physical network ports according to a quintuple of the packet to determine whether a corresponding physical network port exists; and

if no corresponding physical network port exists, receiving or transmitting the packet through the determined physical port;

if no corresponding physical network port exists, selecting a physical network port with minimum traffic from the available physical network ports, and receiving or transmitting the packet through the selected phial network port.