In-band Telemetry Tracking for Fabric Traffic Using In-band Headers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies lack a means to provide multi-site telemetry tracking across fabrics without exceeding packet header length restrictions and cannot carry both source class information and in-band network telemetry data within ACI fabrics.
Innovation Solution
A new packet format is introduced that includes separate headers for source class information and in-band network telemetry data, using an iVXLAN GPE Header, ACI Policy Group Header, and INT Header, allowing packets to traverse ACI fabrics while maintaining telemetry data across logical groups of devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If in-band network telemetry is implemented to track packets across fabrics, then packet path tracking capability is improved, but packet header length exceeds restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet header into multiple components: a base packet header for standard networking functions and a separate telemetry header for path tracking information. This segmentation allows the telemetry data to be added without fundamentally changing the base packet structure, enabling multi-site tracking while managing header length through structured organization of different header types.
Solution Approach 2:
The telemetry header is nested within the packet structure, with the INT header containing telemetry data embedded in the packet flow. This nesting approach allows telemetry information to be carried along with the packet through multiple fabrics and sites without requiring separate communication channels, effectively adding tracking capability while containing the overhead within a structured framework.
2Loss of information
If both source class information and in-band network telemetry data are carried in ACI fabrics, then comprehensive packet tracking is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The packet format is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: the base packet header handles standard networking tasks like routing and addressing, while the integrated telemetry header provides path tracking, source class information, and network telemetry data. This multi-functionality allows a single packet structure to carry both source class information and in-band network telemetry without requiring separate processing mechanisms, thereby reducing operational complexity despite the enhanced tracking capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for utilizing in-band telemetry (INT) in network fabrics are provided. A packet is received at a leaf node in a first logical group of nodes. Upon determining that the first packet was received from a node outside of the first logical group of nodes, the packet is encapsulated with a first header indicating an internal virtual extensible local area network (iVXLAN) identifier associated with the packet, and a second header indicating a policy group is added to the packet. Further, upon determining that a destination of the packet is associated with a second logical group of nodes, a third header is added to the first packet, where the third header stores in-band network telemetry (INT) for the packet, and telemetry data is added to the third header. The packet is transmitted to a spine node in the first logical group of devices.