Virtual Network Flow Table Automatic Repair Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Neutron implementations in OpenStack rely heavily on message queues, leading to a burden on databases and lack an automatic repair mechanism for virtual network communication links, resulting in issues with IP address acquisition and external network access, especially during message loss or network interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for virtual network communication that determines the existence of a flow table for data packets and employs a controller to generate and deliver flow tables for forwarding or barring data packets, reducing dependence on message queues and enabling automatic repair of virtual network communication links by using a switch and controller to manage data forwarding and routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Neutron components cooperate and are configured in advance after creation to establish virtual network communication links, then the virtual network link can be established, but the system relies heavily on message queues causing great burden to the database
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flow table management functionality from the traditional Neutron message queue architecture and implements it directly within the SDN controller. The controller directly generates, updates, and manages flow tables in switches without requiring extensive message queue communications, thereby reducing message queue dependency while maintaining virtual network link establishment reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces flow tables as an intermediary mechanism between the SDN controller and switches. Instead of relying on message queues for every communication interaction, the flow tables serve as a intermediate data structure that caches forwarding rules, reducing the frequency and burden of message queue communications while ensuring reliable virtual network link establishment
2Reliability
If Neutron server notifies each agent of network state changes, then the network state can be updated, but there is no retry mechanism for notification leading to failure in message loss or network interruption cases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where switches monitor the validity of flow tables and automatically detect when flow tables become invalid due to message loss or network interruptions. The system continuously checks flow table validity and triggers automatic repair procedures when issues are detected, ensuring reliable network state updates without requiring manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing flow tables in switches before actual data transmission begins. These flow tables contain pre-computed forwarding rules that enable switches to immediately forward packets without requiring real-time communication with the controller, and the system has pre-configured retry mechanisms that automatically activate when message loss or network interruptions occur
3Measurement precision
If flow table matching is performed for each data packet, then accurate forwarding can be achieved, but the processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-computing and installing flow tables in switches before data packets arrive. These flow tables contain pre-calculated forwarding rules based on virtual network configurations, security groups, and routing requirements. When packets arrive, switches only need to perform simple matching against these pre-computed tables rather than performing complex real-time calculations, significantly reducing packet processing time while maintaining accurate forwarding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple forwarding decisions into single flow table entries. Instead of creating separate flow table rules for each individual packet forwarding decision, the system combines multiple related forwarding rules into consolidated flow table entries that can handle multiple packets simultaneously, reducing the number of matching operations required and improving forwarding efficiency
4Reliability
If the system bars virtual machines from sending data when flow table matching fails repeatedly, then network security is improved, but legitimate traffic may be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic flow table management where flow table entries can be automatically created, updated, and removed based on real-time network conditions and traffic patterns. When a virtual machine's flow table matching fails repeatedly, the system dynamically responds by creating a barring flow table entry, but this entry itself has a time-to-live (TTL) and can be dynamically removed if the virtual machine subsequently succeeds in matching other flow tables, allowing the system to adapt between security enforcement and legitimate traffic handling
Data Source
AI summary
The present application discloses a method and apparatus for establishing a virtual network communication link. A specific implementation of the method includes: determining no flow table being detected; and determining sending of a data packet according to information about the data packet. This implementation implements automatic flow table repair, ensures an SLA for a virtual network communication link, and improves the disaster tolerance capability of the communication link.