SDN Controller Segmentation for Network Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software-defined networking (SDN) solutions face challenges in ease of use, workflow complexity, scalability, and customization, particularly in segregating network and application configurations, leading to blurred roles among administrators and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a management analytics system (MAS) within an appliance that logically separates L2-L3 entities from L4-L7 entities, using a template-based provisioning solution and SDN controller, to provide network automation, support multi-tenancy, and simplify administration through modular components like network modeling, SDN callout processing, and error handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If SDN controller is used to automate network management, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to blurred roles among administrators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the SDN controller functionality into two distinct components: a network services component (handling L2-L3 operations) and an application services component (handling L4-L7 operations). This segmentation allows different administrator roles to manage their respective domains independently, reducing workflow complexity while maintaining automation benefits. The network services component includes network model definitions and network configuration, while the application services component includes application model definitions and application configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a template-based provisioning solution as an intermediary layer between the network and application components. This template mechanism (referenced as StyleBook in the text) serves as a mediator that coordinates between network administrators and application administrators, enabling automated provisioning while maintaining clear role boundaries. The template receives inputs from both network and application configurations and generates coordinated provisioning actions.
2Ease of operation
If network and application configurations are integrated in SDN controller, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability decreases due to inability to configure independently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the configuration management into separate network services component and application services component. Each component maintains its own configuration data model and management interfaces, allowing network administrators to modify network configurations and application administrators to modify application configurations independently. The segmentation is implemented through separate data structures: network model definitions for L2-L3 entities and application model definitions for L4-L7 entities.
Solution Approach 2:
The template-based provisioning solution serves multiple functions simultaneously: it coordinates between network and application configurations, enables automated provisioning workflows, and maintains compatibility with both network and application administration tools. The template mechanism can be configured to work with different SDN controllers and supports various provisioning scenarios, providing universal functionality across different operational contexts.
3Extent of automation
If SDN controller manages all network entities, then extent of automation is improved, but scalability is limited due to inability to segregate feature and network specific details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the SDN controller into network services component and application services component, allowing independent scaling of each function. The network services component can be scaled to handle increasing network complexity while the application services component can be scaled independently to handle application provisioning demands. This segmentation enables feature-specific details (application configurations) to be separated from network-specific details (L2-L3 configurations), improving overall system scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a template-based provisioning dimension that operates above the network and application components. This template layer (StyleBook) provides an additional dimension of automation that can be configured independently and scales separately from the underlying network and application infrastructures. The template mechanism enables scalable provisioning by abstracting common provisioning patterns that can be reused across multiple network and application configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for providing network models and network configurations for communications are described. The method includes establishing, by a device intermediary to a plurality of clients and servers, a first interface on a manager of the device for delivering a network model of the device from the manager of the device to a software defined network (SDN) controller of an SDN. The method includes providing, via the first interface, the network model configured to provide definitions of one or more network layer entities of the device that are configured to provide network layer services. The method includes establishing, a second interface on the manager of the device configured to transmit and receive communications between the device and the SDN controller. The method includes receiving, by the manager via the second interface, network configuration to configure the device to process SDN application requests received from the SDN controller.