Multi-Gateway Virtual Machine for Overlapping Network Address Spaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing systems face inefficiencies in managing multiple virtual networks, as they require separate gateways for each network, leading to complex configurations and resource management challenges.
Innovation Solution
A multi-gateway machine that operates multiple gateways on a single operating system, allowing for efficient packet routing and management across overlapping virtual network address spaces by encapsulating and decapsulating packets with virtual network identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate gateways are used for each virtual network, then network isolation and security are improved, but device complexity and resource management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple virtual network gateways into a single gateway instance that can handle multiple virtual networks simultaneously. The gateway uses virtualization techniques to maintain separate routing tables and packet processing queues for each virtual network, thereby achieving network isolation without requiring separate physical gateway devices for each virtual network.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple virtual networks through a single instance. It implements universal packet processing capabilities that can identify and route packets from different virtual networks using virtual network identifiers (VNI), making the single gateway capable of performing the functions of multiple dedicated gateways while reducing overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If multiple gateways operate on a single operating system, then resource utilization and scalability are improved, but packet routing complexity and address space management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces virtual network identifiers (VNI) as an intermediary mechanism to manage packet routing across multiple virtual networks. The VNI acts as a mediator that allows the single gateway to distinguish between different virtual networks and their respective address spaces, enabling proper packet routing without requiring complex manual configuration for each virtual network's address space.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway implements segmentation of packet processing by creating separate virtual routing tables and processing queues for each virtual network identified by VNI. This segmentation allows the single gateway to maintain isolated routing logic for each virtual network, reducing the complexity of managing overlapping address spaces while improving resource utilization.
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtual network address spaces overlap, then address space flexibility and scalability are improved, but packet delivery accuracy and network identification difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds another dimension to packet identification by introducing virtual network identifiers (VNI) as an additional layer beyond traditional IP addressing. This dimensional addition allows packets from different virtual networks with overlapping address spaces to be accurately distinguished and routed by examining the VNI field, thereby maintaining packet delivery accuracy while enabling flexible overlapping address spaces.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4B
AI summary
A multi-gateway virtual machine that operates multiple gateways. Each gateway acts as an interface between a virtual network and entities outside of the virtual network. Each virtual network has its own address space, which may be overlapping with the address space of other virtual networks, even if the gateways of those virtual networks are operating on the same virtual machine. Accordingly, the principles described herein relate to a virtual machine that can operate thereon multiple gateways, and thus to a multi- gateway virtual machine that services multiple virtual networks.