Overlay Domain Interconnection via Control Plane Translation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interconnecting multiple overlay networks within data networks becomes inefficient due to the need for edge devices to maintain full routing states, leading to an explosion in the amount of information and state required, especially with increased mobility and granular routing information.
Innovation Solution
The method involves translating and advertising tunnel endpoint identifiers and virtual network identifiers between overlay domains, allowing for interconnection without maintaining full routing state information at edge devices, using domain gateways as translation points and the overlay control plane to manage mappings between local and remote values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If overlay networks are fully terminated at the edge and mapped to different overlays managed by peer organizations or service providers, then interconnectivity between organizations is achieved, but the amount of state information that edge devices must maintain explodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a control plane as an intermediary between overlay domains. The control plane receives routing information from edge devices, performs translation of identifiers between domains, and distributes translated information back to edge devices. This mediator approach allows edge devices to maintain reduced state information while still achieving full interconnectivity through the control plane's translation capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the routing information management into two parts: the control plane handles the complex translation and mapping of identifiers between overlay domains, while edge devices handle only local routing decisions based on translated information. This segmentation allows the control plane to manage the complexity of inter-domain mapping while edge devices maintain simplified forwarding tables.
2Adaptability or versatility
If granular routing information is maintained for mobility support, then mobility management is improved, but routing information does not benefit from summarization and requires more state information
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane acts as an intermediary that handles the granular routing information needed for mobility management. It translates detailed mobility-related identifiers between overlay domains and provides summarized routing information to edge devices. This allows mobility management to function with granular information while edge devices only need to maintain simplified routing tables.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple overlay domains are interconnected, then network coverage and interoperability are improved, but the amount of routing state information required at edge devices increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane serves as a mediator that consolidates routing information from multiple overlay domains. It translates identifiers between different domains and provides aggregated routing information to edge devices, enabling multi-domain interconnection while keeping the routing state information at edge devices manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges routing information from multiple overlay domains at the control plane level. The control plane consolidates routing data from different domains, performs translation, and provides unified routing information to edge devices. This merging approach allows multiple domains to be interconnected while avoiding the exponential growth of routing state information at individual edge devices.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A
AI summary
An example method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving first values associated with a host located in a first overlay domain; translating the first values to second values, the second values being local values in a second overlay domain; storing the second values and corresponding first values in a mapping table for the second overlay domain; and advertising the second values for the host in the second overlay domain.