Network Controller QoS Traffic Classification in Multi-Tenant Data Centers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current QoS traffic classification in multi-tenant data centers is managed by tenants within their virtual machines, limiting the data center operator's ability to dynamically adjust and manage traffic flows across the entire data center, as they are not aware of traffic generated by other tenants.
Innovation Solution
Implementing QoS traffic classification in platform hardware by a network controller, allowing the data center operator to set traffic policies and dynamically adjust classification rules during runtime operations, enabling better management of traffic flows across the data center.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If QoS traffic classification is managed by tenants within their virtual machines, then tenants can control their own traffic, but the data center operator loses the ability to dynamically adjust and manage traffic flows across the entire data center
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller acts as an intermediary between tenants and the network infrastructure. It receives traffic classification requests from tenants, applies operator-defined policies, and executes the actual packet classification and queuing. This mediator enables operator-level control while maintaining tenant-level simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces software-based traffic classification running inside tenant VMs with a hardware-based network controller that performs classification in the data plane. This substitution provides more efficient, operator-controlled traffic management with lower latency and reduced processing overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If QoS traffic classification is implemented in platform hardware by network controller, then operator can dynamically adjust classification rules, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network controller is segmented into distinct functional components: a control plane for policy management and a data plane for packet processing. The control plane receives policies from the orchestrator, while the data plane executes classification and queuing operations, enabling dynamic adjustment without overwhelming complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic traffic classification by allowing the orchestrator to update classification rules and policies at runtime. The network controller can adapt its behavior based on changing network conditions and tenant requirements without requiring system reconfiguration or restarts.
3Ease of manufacture
If software-based traffic classification is used in virtual machines, then implementation is simple, but packet processing efficiency is reduced and resource overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes software-based packet processing running inside VMs with a dedicated network controller that handles packet classification and queuing in hardware or close to hardware. This separation allows simple VM-based application logic while achieving high-performance packet processing at the network level.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, and systems for data plane interface network Quality of Service (QoS) in multi-tenant data centers. Data plane operations including packet generation and encapsulation are performed in software running in virtual machines (VMs) or containers hosted by a compute platform. Control plane operations, including QoS traffic classification, are implemented in hardware by a network controller. Work submission and work completion queues are implemented in software for each VM or container. Work elements (WEs) defining work to be completed by the network controller are generated by software and processed by the network controller to classify packets associated with the WEs into QoS traffic classes, wherein packets belonging to a give traffic flow are classified to the same QoS traffic class. The network controller is also configured to perform scheduling of packet egress as a function of the packet's QoS traffic classifications, to transmit packets that are scheduled for egress onto the network, and to DMA indicia to the work completion queues to indicate the work associated with WEs has been completed.