Transparent RBridge Simplifies VM Tracking via Distributed Endnode Tables
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Solution Overview
Problem
In TRILL compliant networks, the complexity of edge RBridge operations increases with large endnode tables, leading to difficulties in tracking VM location and labeling, resulting in lost traffic due to incorrect egress edge RBridge tunneling.
Innovation Solution
Distributing endnode table maintenance from ingress edge RBridge to endnodes or hypervisors, allowing edge RBridges to simplify table sizes and eliminate the need for MAC address lookups by using VLAN tags and egress device nicknames to construct TRILL headers for packet encapsulation and forwarding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the ingress edge RBridge maintains a large endnode table to track all attached endnodes, then the forwarding capability is improved, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the endnode table maintenance function from the ingress edge RBridge and distributes it to individual edge RBridges or controllers. Each edge RBridge maintains its own local table of attached endnodes, eliminating the need for a single large centralized table and reducing the complexity of any single device while maintaining overall forwarding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controller or distributed maintenance mechanism as an intermediary to manage endnode table information. This intermediary coordinates table updates and synchronization across multiple edge RBridges, allowing the system to maintain comprehensive forwarding information without requiring any single RBridge to maintain a large table.
2Productivity
If the ingress edge RBridge uses a large endnode table to track MAC addresses, then the ability to forward traffic is improved, but the difficulty of quickly detecting MAC address movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the endnode table maintenance to local edge RBridges, each device immediately detects MAC address movements at its own attachment point without searching through a large centralized table. This local detection capability reduces the time to identify MAC address movements while maintaining efficient forwarding through the distributed table structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where edge RBridges immediately report MAC address movements to the controller or adjacent RBridges when detected locally. This real-time feedback enables quick response to MAC address movements, preventing traffic loss while maintaining forwarding efficiency through rapid table updates.
3Reliability
If the ingress edge RBridge maintains comprehensive endnode information, then traffic forwarding accuracy is improved, but the risk of tunneling to incorrect egress edge RBridge increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the endnode information management across multiple edge RBridges, with each device maintaining accurate local information about its attached endnodes. This distributed approach improves forwarding accuracy by ensuring each RBridge has precise local knowledge while reducing the complexity burden on any single device through the division of information management responsibilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A network edge bridge including a first communication unit configured to receive a data packet from an access segment of a network, the data packet including a tunnel destination address and at least one Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag, a tunnel header constructing unit configured to construct a tunnel header based on the VLAN tag. And a second communication unit that transmits the data packet, including the tunnel header, to an egress device corresponding to the tunnel destination address via an overlay interconnection layer.