SMAC Index Management for Virtual Network Traffic Clusters
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heterogeneous distributed multi-tenant virtualized clustered systems, existing network traffic management devices face inefficiencies due to large data sizes required for flow table entries, which impact performance when handling multiple virtual network traffic management devices sharing the same flow table.
Innovation Solution
Assigning a set of continuous available source media access control (SMAC) addresses and a predetermined region in the MAC table to virtual network traffic management devices, allowing efficient storage and management of L2 and virtual MAC addresses, reducing the size of transformation data in the flow table by using indices that point to corresponding MAC addresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If flow table entries include complete source and destination L2 MAC and virtual MAC addresses, source IP, destination IP, source TCP port, destination TCP port, sequence number, VLAN, and timestamp, then the flow table can store comprehensive transformation information, but the data size per flow entry exceeds the 64-byte storage capacity of the flow table
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the transformation information into two segments: (1) essential flow identification data stored in the flow table (flow signature, VLAN, sequence number, timestamp), and (2) MAC address transformation data stored separately in a MAC address table. This segmentation allows the flow table to remain within its 64-byte storage capacity while preserving complete transformation information through coordinated access to both tables.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary MAC address table that stores the complete MAC address transformation information. The flow table contains indices or references to this MAC address table, allowing the system to access complete transformation information without storing all data directly in the flow table entries. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction between information completeness and storage capacity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple virtual network traffic management devices share the same flow table, then resource utilization is improved, but the amount of data that needs to be entered into the flow table increases beyond the per flow storage size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the transformation data storage by creating a shared MAC address table that all virtual network traffic management devices can access. Each device's flow table entries only need to store references to the shared MAC address table rather than complete MAC address information, allowing multiple devices to share the flow table resource without exceeding storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared MAC address table serves multiple virtual network traffic management devices simultaneously, providing universal access to transformation information. This multi-functional structure allows the system to support multiple tenants and virtual devices while maintaining efficient use of the flow table resource through shared MAC address storage.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a hypervisor in a virtual network traffic management cluster, the method comprising: assigning a set of continuous available source media access control (SMAC) addresses to one or more virtual network traffic management devices in a network traffic management cluster, the one or more virtual network traffic management devices configured to handle connections for virtual guest instances; assigning a region of predetermined size in a SMAC-index mapping table to a corresponding virtual network traffic management device; wherein the assigned SMAC addresses and assigned region in the SMAC-index mapping table are accessible by the virtual guest instances; and maintaining SMAC-index pool allocation to virtual guest instances handled by corresponding virtual network traffic management devices.