Transit Virtual Network for Overlapping IP Address Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Connecting overlapping Classless Inter-Domain Routing (CIDR) block virtual private clouds (VPCs) and virtual networks (VNETs) in a public cloud environment is challenging due to unsupported peering by cloud providers, requiring reconfiguration of IP addresses and overlay logical topologies.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using a cloud gateway device with a first-tier logical router and multiple second-tier logical routers to translate source IP addresses of outgoing data packets to internal IP addresses from a dedicated pool, enabling routing through a transit virtual computer network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cloud providers implement peering for overlapping CIDR block VPCs and VNETs, then connectivity between virtual networks is improved, but cloud provider system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a transit VPC/VNET as an intermediary network that facilitates connectivity between overlapping VPCs and VNETs without requiring direct peering between them. The transit network acts as a mediator that routes traffic between source and destination networks with overlapping IP address spaces, thereby enabling connectivity while avoiding the complexity of implementing direct peering between all overlapping networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the network connectivity problem by introducing a separate transit VPC/VNET layer that is distinct from the source and destination VPCs/VNETs. This segmentation allows each network to maintain its own IP address space while the transit network provides the routing infrastructure needed for inter-network communication, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If a new overlay logical topology is created to connect overlapping CIDR block VPCs and VNETs, then connectivity is achieved, but reconfiguration of overlay logical IP addresses and applications is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring the transit VPC/VNET with appropriate routing tables and IP address allocations before connecting source and destination networks. The transit network is prepared in advance with the necessary infrastructure to handle overlapping IP addresses, so that when networks are connected, no reconfiguration of applications or load balancers is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The transit VPC/VNET serves as an intermediary that preserves the original IP address spaces of source and destination networks. By routing traffic through this intermediary layer, the patent avoids the need to reconfigure overlay logical IP addresses in applications and load balancers, as the original IP addresses remain valid and reachable through the transit network.
3Device complexity
If direct peering is implemented between overlapping CIDR block VPCs and VNETs, then routing simplicity is maintained, but IP address conflicts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The transit VPC/VNET acts as an intermediary routing layer that resolves IP address conflicts between overlapping networks. The transit network maintains routing tables that map IP addresses from different source and destination networks to appropriate next-hop routes, thereby preserving IP address uniqueness while enabling routing between networks with overlapping address spaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the two-dimensional IP address conflict by introducing a third dimension - the transit network layer. Instead of trying to route directly between overlapping IP spaces (two-dimensional problem), the solution adds a transit network dimension that provides an additional routing hop, allowing traffic to traverse between overlapping networks without direct IP address conflicts.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for connecting virtual computer networks in a public cloud computing environment using a transit virtual computer network uses a cloud gateway device in the transit virtual computer network that includes a first-tier logical router and a plurality of second-tier logical routers connected to the virtual computer networks. A source Internet Protocol (IP) address of outgoing data packets from a particular virtual computer network is translated at a particular second-tier logical router of the cloud gateway device from an IP address of the particular virtual computer network to an internal IP address from a particular pool of IP addresses. The outgoing data packets are then routed to the first-tier logical router of the cloud gateway device, where the outgoing data packets are transmitted a destination network from a particular interface of the first-tier logical router of the cloud gateway device.