LISP Source-Aware Mobility for Data Center Host Migration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional IP addressing models associate identity and location with a single IP address space, making mobility cumbersome, and existing IP mobility solutions struggle with scalability, routing optimization, client independence, and address family agnosticism, particularly in virtualized data centers where endpoints need to freely migrate while preserving IP addressing information.
Innovation Solution
The Location Identity Separation Protocol (LISP) separates endpoint identifiers (EIDs) and routing locators (RLOCs) into distinct address spaces, enabling dynamic mapping and encapsulation techniques to facilitate seamless mobility across LISP-enabled sites, with Ingress/Egress Tunnel Routers (xTRs) managing EID-to-RLOC mappings and maintaining service continuity through source-aware processes and Network-Based Application Recognition (NBAR) and firewall mobility support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional IP addressing model is used, then identity and location are associated with a single IP address space, but mobility becomes cumbersome and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the traditional unified IP address space into two distinct address spaces: EID (Endpoint Identifier) space for identity and RLOC (Routing Locator) space for location. This segmentation allows independent management of identity and location, enabling seamless mobility where EIDs can change RLOCs without affecting the identity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of mobility and addressing model complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mapping system as an intermediary between EID and RLOC. This mapping mechanism dynamically associates EIDs with RLOCs, allowing endpoints to move freely by updating mappings rather than changing IP addresses. The intermediary mapping layer decouples identity from location, making mobility straightforward while maintaining routing efficiency
2Adaptability or versatility
If LISP dynamic mapping mechanism is implemented, then EIDs can change location dynamically, but routing optimization and scalability challenges arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary routing actions by maintaining RLOCs that are pre-associated with network topology and reachable via traditional routing methods. This allows the routing infrastructure to be prepared in advance, so when EIDs move and mappings update, the routing paths are already optimized and ready, maintaining routing efficiency while supporting dynamic mobility
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to routing by introducing the mapping layer between EID and RLOC spaces. This additional dimensional layer allows dynamic EID-to-RLOC associations without disrupting the traditional routing dimension, enabling hosts to move freely while routing efficiency is maintained through the separate RLOC routing path
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtualized data center deployment is used, then EIDs can be assigned to VMs that migrate freely, but service continuity and session preservation become challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the mapping system continuously updates EID-to-RLOC associations as VMs migrate. This feedback loop ensures that service continuity is maintained by dynamically adjusting mappings to reflect current VM locations, preserving sessions while enabling free migration across data centers
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes detecting by a first network element at a first data center site a local connection of an endpoint identifier (“EID”), in which the EID was previously locally connected to a second network element at a second data center site and notifying a mapping server of the local connection of the EID to the first network element. The method further includes receiving from the mapping server identifying information for the second network element and communicating with the second network element using the identifying information to obtain service information for traffic associated with the EID. The method may also include applying a service identified by the service information to outgoing traffic from the EID as well as applying a service identified by the service information to incoming traffic for the EID.