Router Frame Forwarding for Cross-Datacenter VLAN Tunneling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network systems with multiple datacenters face challenges in enabling efficient communication between servers across different datacenters, particularly for high availability clusters and virtual machine migration, as they lack effective methods for direct routing and tunneling between Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs).
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a tunneling module that connects VLANs across datacenters, using a router with a frame receiving and forwarding module to handle traffic frames with specific Destination Media Access Control (DMAC) addresses, and employing gratuitous ARP messages for detecting and notifying the presence of migrated virtual addresses, allowing direct communication between servers and clusters across datacenters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional routing methods are used between datacenters, then network simplicity is maintained, but direct communication between servers in different datacenters cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tunneling module as an intermediary component that connects VLANs across different datacenters. This module enables direct communication between servers in remote datacenters by creating virtual tunnels through the network infrastructure, allowing Layer 2 communication without requiring complex Layer 3 routing configurations. The tunneling module acts as a mediator that translates between different VLAN domains while maintaining the simplicity of the overall routing architecture.
2Productivity
If VLANs are connected across datacenters, then communication between servers is enabled, but traffic bridging may occur causing unnecessary network complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by enabling servers to communicate directly within their local VLAN when possible, while only bridging traffic to remote datacenters when necessary. The tunneling module is configured to forward traffic selectively based on destination addresses, allowing local VLANs to handle their own traffic without requiring broad bridging across all VLANs. This selective forwarding approach maintains communication efficiency while preventing unnecessary traffic bridging and network complexity.
3Reliability
If virtual machine migration is supported, then high availability is improved, but address resolution becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms through gratuitous ARP messages that are broadcast when a virtual machine migrates to a new location. This feedback informs other devices in the network of the VM's new MAC address association, allowing them to update their address resolution tables automatically. The tunneling module also provides feedback by maintaining consistent VLAN tagging information across datacenters, enabling seamless address resolution during migration without requiring complex manual reconfiguration.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a router for use in a datacenter, the router including a frame receiving module operative to receive a traffic frame and a frame forwarding module operative to forward the traffic frame to a second router in a second datacenter if a Destination Media Access Control (DMAC) address included in the traffic frame is different from all of the following:a Burned in Address of the router;a Burned in Address of at least one server associated with the router;a Media Access Control (MAC) address of one of a Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) group and a Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) group of the router; anda MAC address of one of a HSRP group and a VRRP group of a subnet hosted by the router.