Unified SDN Orchestration in Virtualized Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management of software-defined datacenters (SDDCs) is fragmented due to separate user interfaces and application programming interfaces for virtualization and network management, leading to a fractured experience for tenants when deploying and managing applications across server virtualization and logical network layers.
Innovation Solution
A method for orchestrating a software-defined network layer in a virtualized computing system, where a virtualization management server receives a declarative specification to deploy virtualized infrastructure and logical network services, integrating server virtualization and network management through a common interface, enabling unified management of compute, network, and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate user interfaces and APIs are used for virtualization management and network management, then specialized management functions are maintained, but system complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to fragmented management experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines separate virtualization management and network management interfaces into a unified management interface. The system integrates the virtualization management server and network management server functionalities, allowing administrators to manage both virtualized infrastructure and logical network services through a single interface, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining specialized management capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The unified management interface is designed to perform multiple functions - it can manage virtualized infrastructure components (VMs, hosts, clusters) and logical network services (routing, switching, firewalling) through a single system. This multi-functional approach allows the same interface to serve different management needs without requiring separate specialized tools
2Productivity
If separate management servers are used for virtualization and network management, then specialized control functions are maintained, but productivity deteriorates due to increased configuration steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating and executing the sequence of configuration steps required for deploying logical network services. When a service deployment is requested, the unified management interface automatically determines the necessary configuration actions, executes them in the correct sequence, and coordinates between virtualization and network management functions without requiring manual intervention for each step
Solution Approach 2:
The unified management interface acts as an intermediary that coordinates between the virtualization management server and network management server. It translates high-level deployment requests into coordinated actions across both management domains, reducing the time administrators would otherwise spend manually configuring multiple systems and ensuring proper sequencing of deployment steps
3Reliability
If separate management interfaces are used, then specialized management capabilities are maintained, but user error increases due to fragmented management processes
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the separate management interfaces into a unified interface, the system presents a consistent and coherent management experience. This integration reduces the cognitive load on administrators and eliminates the confusion that arises from switching between different interfaces, thereby reducing user error while maintaining specialized management capabilities through the unified system
Data Source
AI summary
An example method of orchestrating a software-defined (SD) network layer of a virtualized computing system is described, the virtualized computing system including a host cluster, a virtualization management server, and a network management server each connected to a physical network, the host cluster having hosts and a virtualization layer executing on hardware platforms of the hosts. The method includes receiving, at the virtualization management server, a declarative specification describing a proposed state of an SD network for the host cluster, deploying, by the virtualization management server, virtualized infrastructure components in the host cluster in response to the proposed state in the declarative specification, and deploying, by the virtualization management server in cooperation with the network management server, logical network services supported by the virtualized infrastructure components in response to the proposed state in the declarative specification.