Overlay Ferry Proxy for VXLAN CNI Domain Intercommunication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Different overlay network solutions, such as VXLAN and CNI, in shared computing environments are not compatible due to distinct address resolution mechanisms, preventing direct communication between virtual machines hosted in different domains.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enable communication between VXLAN and CNI domains by using an Overlay Ferry Proxy to ferry control plane information and a VXLAN Relay Agent to facilitate address resolution requests, allowing resources from one domain to communicate with those in another domain using existing infrastructure without requiring major changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If different overlay network solutions (VXLAN and CNI) are implemented in a shared computing environment, then each solution can provide dedicated resources to users within its own domain, but devices in different domains cannot communicate with each other due to incompatible address resolution mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary between VXLAN and CNI domains. This gateway translates address resolution requests from one protocol format to another, enabling communication between domains that use different overlay solutions. The gateway acts as a mediator that converts VXLAN format requests to CNI format and vice versa, resolving the incompatibility issue without requiring changes to the core VXLAN or CNI implementations.
2Ease of operation
If a centralized control plane is used (CNI approach), then tunnel resolution can be managed centrally, but this creates a single point of failure and performance bottleneck
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the control plane functionality by distributing it across multiple gateway devices rather than relying on a single centralized controller. Each gateway maintains local translation capabilities and can independently handle address resolution between domains. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while maintaining centralized management benefits through coordinated gateway operation.
3Device complexity
If VXLAN uses multicast tunnels for address resolution, then no dedicated control plane is needed, but this approach cannot resolve addresses for resources in domains using different overlay solutions
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both VXLAN and CNI protocol formats. It can receive address resolution requests in VXLAN format, translate them to CNI format for resolution in CNI domains, and vice versa. This universal capability allows the system to maintain the simplicity of multicast-based VXLAN while gaining the ability to resolve addresses across different overlay solution domains.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and computer program product for enabling communication between different overlay solutions. The method includes one or more processor obtaining an address resolution request from a first resource in a first domain for a second resource in a second domain. Both domains are in a shared computing environment and the second domain includes a control plane engine. The one or more processor obtains source information from the request, registers the information to the engine, and utilizes the request to query the engine to locate the second resource in the domain. The second resource matches the request. The processor receives a response from the engine identifying a first host and the first host is in the second domain and is the host of the second resource. The processor sends a notification request to the first host requesting that the first host reply to the request.