SDN-Mapper Interworking BGP-VPWS and EVPN Nodes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The industry lacks a standardized method for interworking Border Gateway Protocol - Virtual Private Wire Service (BGP-VPWS) and Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN-VPWS) technologies, which are different in control plane and data plane operations, leading to compatibility issues between nodes.
Innovation Solution
A software-defined network (SDN) based approach using an SDN-Mapper component that translates control plane messages between BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS nodes, allowing them to communicate directly without requiring changes to existing nodes, by decoupling the control plane from the data plane and using a mapping table to convert control messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS technologies are used to provide point-to-point services, then service functionality is improved, but compatibility between nodes deteriorates due to different control plane and data plane operations
Solution Approach 1:
An SDN controller is introduced as an intermediary component that translates control plane messages between BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS nodes. The SDN controller receives control messages from one protocol type, translates them into the corresponding protocol format, and forwards them to the appropriate node, enabling compatibility without modifying the existing BGP-VPWS or EVPN-VPWS nodes themselves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS nodes are modified to achieve interworking, then interoperability is improved, but system complexity and infrastructure costs worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into three independent components: BGP-VPWS nodes, EVPN-VPWS nodes, and an SDN controller. The SDN controller handles all translation and interworking logic separately, allowing existing BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS nodes to remain unchanged. This segmentation avoids the complexity of modifying existing nodes while achieving full interoperability.
3Ease of operation
If control plane messages are directly exchanged between incompatible BGP-VPWS and EVPN-VPWS nodes, then communication simplicity is improved, but message translation and compatibility worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The SDN controller acts as a message intermediary that receives control plane messages from BGP-VPWS or EVPN-VPWS nodes, translates the message format and semantics, and forwards the translated message to the appropriate destination node. This ensures that control message information is preserved and correctly interpreted across different protocol domains while maintaining simple direct communication paths for data traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems may use a software-defined network (SDN) based approach for interworking different types of nodes. In an example, an SDN controller may include components that assist in building pseudowires across Ethernet virtual private network (EVPN) nodes and Border gateway protocol-virtual private wire service (BGP-VPWS) nodes.