Overlay Network Priority Inheritance for Packet Classification
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Solution Overview
Problem
In overlay networks, the lack of visibility to priority tagging of inner packets by underlay tunneling and packet handling modules leads to ambiguity in packet processing, resulting in high-priority packets potentially being misclassified or dropped due to mismatched priority handling.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that decapsulates overlay-encapsulated packets to derive and set the priority of underlay packets based on the overlay packet's priority and transport header, ensuring accurate priority setting for subsequent processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If overlay networks encapsulate packets for tunneling between geographically separated L2 networks, then network virtualization and simplified provisioning are achieved, but priority information of inner packets becomes invisible to underlay processing modules
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by setting the outer packet priority bits before encapsulation to match the inner packet priority. This ensures that priority information is preserved through the tunneling process without requiring the inner packet priority to be visible to underlay processing modules. The priority is established in advance at the encapsulation point.
2Device complexity
If VMs or vSwitches rely on immediate switches for priority tagging, then processing complexity at VM/vSwitch level is reduced, but priority tagging may not be applied correctly during egress processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary function where the virtualization platform acts as a mediator between the VM/vSwitch and the immediate switch. The virtualization platform reads the inner packet priority, sets the outer packet priority bits accordingly during encapsulation, and ensures correct priority tagging is applied. This intermediary approach maintains reliability while keeping VM/vSwitch complexity low.
3Productivity
If underlay packet handling modules process packets without visibility to inner packet priority, then processing speed is maintained, but high-priority packets may be misclassified or dropped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the priority information preservation function from the underlay packet handling modules by implementing priority bit setting at the overlay encapsulation point. The underlay modules only need to handle packets with already-set outer priority bits, maintaining processing speed. The priority information is effectively extracted and preserved in the outer header, eliminating the need for underlay modules to inspect inner packet priorities.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a system includes a processor and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to cause the processor to receive an overlay-encapsulated packet comprising one or more underlay packets. The logic is also configured to cause the processor to decapsulate the one or more underlay packets from the overlay-encapsulated packet. Moreover, the logic is configured to cause the processor to derive a priority for each of the one or more underlay packets based on a priority of the overlay-encapsulated packet, a transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet, or the priority and the transport header of the overlay-encapsulated packet. In addition, the logic is configured to cause the processor to set the priority of the one or more underlay packets.