Distributed SD-WAN Gateways for Multi-Region Route Scaling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing routing solutions face challenges in large scale deployments due to limitations on the number of edges that can connect to a given transit point or gateway router, leading to issues such as loss of end-to-end visibility and constrained hierarchical deployments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a distributed, disjoint gateway router model with multi-hop routing support, branch-to-branch VPN, and customizable VPN profiles, along with seamless switching between redundant transit points using route summarization, to enable interconnectivity across geographical regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a common controller model is used for route exchanges, then route propagation is simplified, but the maximum supported overlay hops are limited to two, constraining hierarchical deployments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network into multiple regions, each with its own gateway router, allowing hierarchical deployments beyond two hops. Route reflectors are distributed across regions rather than using a single common controller, enabling multi-region scalability while maintaining simplified route propagation within each region.
Solution Approach 2:
Gateway routers act as intermediaries between regions, and route reflectors serve as intermediaries for route information exchange. This intermediary structure enables multi-hop routing across regions while maintaining the simplicity of stateless route propagation that the common controller model provides.
2Reliability
If the number of edges connecting to a controller is limited, then controller performance is maintained, but manual assignment of controllers to edges is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automatic controller assignment where gateway routers and route reflectors dynamically select and connect to appropriate route reflectors based on network conditions and topology. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual assignment while maintaining controller performance limits through automatic load distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of controller assignment from static manual configuration to dynamic automatic selection. Gateway routers can change their connected route reflector based on network conditions, enabling automatic adaptation while maintaining performance through load balancing across multiple route reflectors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If overlay to underlay handoffs occur, then network interconnectivity is achieved, but end-to-end visibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where gateway routers and route reflectors continuously exchange routing information and status updates. This feedback loop maintains end-to-end visibility across overlay and underlay boundaries by propagating routing state information through the distributed route reflector network, allowing full mesh or customizable mesh topologies for redundancy and resiliency.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for implementing an SD-WAN connecting multiple sites at multiple physical locations. The method is performed at a first hub router of the SD-WAN. The method establishes, with a first edge router of a first site in a first region, a new connection for the first hub router to use to connect the first edge router to a second edge router of a second site in the first region. The method determines that a peer-connection notification regarding the newly connected first edge router has to be sent to a first route reflector (RR) that does not connect directly with the first edge router but connects to routers in a second region. The method sends the peer-connection notification to the first RR to analyze and determine whether to obtain routes associated with the first edge router for advertising to routers in the second region.