Managed Gateways Peering with External Routers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managed virtualized networks require manual configuration of routes for external networks, lacking automation in exchanging routing information with physical routers, which complicates traffic management across external and internal networks.
Innovation Solution
A network control system enables logical networks to peer with external physical routers using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), allowing multiple managed gateways to advertise routes independently, facilitating traffic distribution across multiple paths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If manual configuration of routes is used for external networks, then configuration simplicity is maintained, but automation and efficiency are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automation where the network control system automatically exchanges routing information with external routers using BGP protocol. Multiple managed gateways independently advertise routes to external routers, eliminating the need for administrator intervention while the system self-manages route distribution and traffic forwarding across the hybrid network.
2Reliability
If multiple managed gateways advertise the same routes independently, then traffic distribution and reliability are improved, but routing configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the routing function across multiple managed gateways, where each gateway independently advertises routes to external routers. This segmentation provides redundancy and load distribution capabilities, as traffic can be routed through any of the multiple gateways, improving reliability while the network control system manages the coordination transparently.
3Productivity
If manual route provision is required for external networks, then control precision is maintained, but productivity and scalability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automated feedback loops where the network control system continuously exchanges routing information with external routers using BGP protocol. Managed gateways automatically advertise routes and receive routing updates, creating a dynamic feedback mechanism that maintains accurate routing information without manual intervention, thereby improving productivity while preventing information loss through automated synchronization.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments provide a network system. The network system includes a first set of host machines hosting virtual machines that connect to each other through a logical network. The network system includes a second set of host machines hosting virtualized containers that operate as gateways to process packets entering the logical network from external sources. Each of the virtualized containers advertises itself to an external router as a next hop for packets entering the logical network such that the external router uses equal-cost multi-path forwarding to distribute the packets across the virtualized containers on the second set of host machines.