Hardware Service Chaining in Overlay Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hardware-based service chaining is incompatible with overlay networks, as it relies on proprietary service packet headers, which are not compatible with overlay networking technologies like VxLAN, limiting the ability to redirect traffic through multiple physical or virtual devices without altering network topology or configuration.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of hardware-based service chaining techniques using Access Control Lists (ACLs) on linecards of networking devices to selectively redirect traffic along predefined service chains via overlay networks, employing ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) for packet lookups and Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) for overlay header mapping, allowing packets to be forwarded without proprietary service headers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional hardware-based service chaining uses proprietary service packet headers, then service chaining can be implemented in hardware, but it becomes incompatible with overlay networks like VxLAN
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the proprietary service packet headers from the service chaining mechanism, replacing them with standard overlay network headers. This allows the service chaining functionality to operate within overlay networks without requiring special proprietary headers, thus resolving the incompatibility while maintaining hardware-based operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the service chaining mechanism universal by enabling it to work with standard overlay network protocols like VxLAN. The service chaining infrastructure can now handle both traditional networking and overlay networking scenarios using the same hardware-based mechanism, increasing its adaptability and versatility across different network architectures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If service chaining redirects traffic through multiple devices, then service functionality is enhanced, but network topology and configuration must be altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces overlay network tunnels as intermediary paths that encapsulate service chain traffic. These tunnels act as mediators that allow traffic to be redirected through multiple service devices without requiring changes to the underlying physical network topology or configuration, thus enabling service chaining while maintaining configuration simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a logical overlay dimension to the physical network infrastructure. Service chaining operations occur in this additional logical layer, allowing traffic to be redirected through multiple devices via overlay tunnels without affecting the physical network topology, thereby enhancing service capability without increasing configuration complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If overlay network encapsulation is added to packets, then service chaining over overlay networks is enabled, but packet size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the service chaining header requirements with the overlay network encapsulation. Instead of adding separate proprietary service headers on top of overlay headers, the solution combines these functions into a unified approach where service chaining information is carried within the overlay tunnel structure, minimizing the total packet size overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are techniques to support service chains in a network, such as a spine-leaf switch fabric network, that also uses overlay networking technology. More specifically, in accordance with the techniques presented herein, a linecard at an ingress network node for an overlay network is configured to receive a packet. Using information obtained from the packet, a hardware lookup is performed at the linecard to identify a service chain with which the packet is associated. An entry corresponding to the identified service chain is identified within a memory location of the linecard, where the entry includes overlay network information for forwarding packets along the identified service chain via an overlay network. Using the overlay network information included in the identified entry, the packet is encapsulated with an overlay packet header for use in forwarding the packet via the overlay network.