SDN Flow Table Engine Role Tag Logging
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Solution Overview
Problem
In software-defined networks, there is a lack of intelligence in network devices to inform SDN controllers about their role in packet traversal, making it difficult to trace virtual paths and identify malicious traffic sources effectively.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a 'role tag' field in network packets to indicate the source, intermediate, or destination device, and configuring network devices to notify the SDN controller of their role, allowing the construction of flow path tables to track packet paths and statistics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If network devices in SDN are kept simple with basic forwarding functionality, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the ability to trace packet paths and identify traffic sources is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (role tag field and logging action system) that enables simple network devices to provide traceability information without requiring complex intelligence. The role tag field acts as a mediator carrying path information through the network, while the logging action serves as an intermediary communication between the data plane and control plane, allowing the SDN controller to reconstruct packet paths despite devices themselves being simple forwards.
2Measurement precision
If network devices perform detailed packet inspection and logging, then packet path tracing capability is improved, but device complexity and processing burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the packet processing functionality into two distinct parts: a simple role tag field addition in the data plane (performed by basic network devices) and the complex path reconstruction logic in the control plane (performed by the SDN controller). This segmentation allows measurement precision to be improved through detailed logging while keeping individual network devices simple, as each device only needs to perform the lightweight task of adding a role tag rather than full packet inspection.
3Measurement precision
If the SDN controller receives detailed logging actions from all network devices, then packet path tracing accuracy is improved, but communication overhead and controller burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential traceability information (role tag field indicating source, intermediate, or destination device) from the packet metadata and transmits this minimal necessary data to the SDN controller. Instead of sending complete packet captures or detailed inspection results, the system takes out just the critical role information needed for path reconstruction, thereby improving measurement precision while minimizing communication overhead and controller burden.
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed a network device having a network interface; and one or more logic elements comprising a flow table engine operable to: receive a network packet via the network interface; perform a logging action to make the network packet traceable; and notify a software-defined networking (SDN) controller of the logging action via the network interface. There is also disclosed an SDN controller having a network interface; first one or more logic elements comprising a software-defined networking (SDN) controller engine to provide SDN controller services; and second one or more logic elements comprising a route tracing engine, operable to: receive a logging action for a network packet from a network device via the network interface; and update a logging table from the logging action. There is further disclosed a method of providing the foregoing, and computer-readable mediums for providing the foregoing.