Managing Hardware VTEP Failover via Controller Conflict Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for managing hardware VTEP devices in Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) configurations lack an efficient method for determining the active VTEP device during failover conditions, leading to inconsistencies in MAC address propagation across logical switches.
Innovation Solution
A method involving logical and physical controllers that manage hardware forwarding elements, where each logical controller designates master and slave MHFEs, and physical controllers distribute and reconcile inventories to ensure accurate routing, using conflict resolution to determine active MHFEs, and batch processing to optimize data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If both VTEP devices report MAC address during failover, then redundancy is maintained, but MAC address propagation consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where VTEP devices report their operational status and MAC address ownership to the controller. The controller receives these reports and uses them to determine which VTEP should propagate MAC addresses to logical switches, ensuring consistency while maintaining redundancy through proper failover detection
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary between VTEP devices and logical switches. It receives MAC address reports from VTEP devices, resolves conflicts during failover conditions, and selectively propagates MAC addresses to logical switches based on which VTEP is determined to be active, thereby maintaining propagation consistency
2Ease of operation
If controller propagates MAC address and VTEP IP to all VTEP devices, then routing information is distributed, but controller processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the propagation process by dividing VTEP devices into groups based on their logical switch memberships. The controller propagates MAC address and VTEP IP information selectively to only those VTEP devices that need it for specific logical switches, rather than broadcasting to all VTEP devices universally, thereby reducing processing complexity
3Measurement precision
If controller decides active VTEP during failover, then MAC address propagation accuracy is improved, but failover response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary configuration where VTEP devices are pre-configured with their roles and MAC address associations before failover occurs. During failover, the controller uses pre-established criteria and feedback from VTEP status reports to quickly determine the active VTEP and propagate MAC addresses accurately without extensive processing delays
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a novel method for managing hardware forwarding elements (MHFEs) that facilitate the creation of multiple logical networks on a set of shared physical forwarding elements. The method uses a set of logical controllers that generate data that defines a set of logical networks, and a set physical controllers to distribute the generated data to the hardware forwarding elements. In some embodiments, each MHFE can serve as either a master WIFE or a slave MHFE for one set of computing end nodes (e.g., VMs, containers, etc.) in a logical network. To ensure proper routing of data packets to the computing end nodes, each MHFE sends to its physical controller an inventory (e.g., a table, a list, etc.) of the set of computing end nodes for which it serves as the master MHFE or the slave MHFE. Each physical controller forwards the inventory for each logical network to the logical controller for the logical network. Each logical controller maintains the master inventory of the MHFEs that are masters (and slaves if applicable) of the various compute end nodes of each logical network managed by the logical controller. After receiving a new inventory from a physical controller, the logical controller updates its records, resolves any conflicts while it is updating its records, and distributes one or more master/slave inventories for one or more logical networks that it manages to the physical controllers, which, in turn, pass this information to the MHFEs that they manage.