Virtual-Physical Network Bridging Through Overlay Address Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The management of large-scale computer networks, including virtual and physical resources, is complicated by the increased scale and scope of data centers, leading to challenges in provisioning, administering, and managing physical computing resources, especially when virtualization technologies are employed.
Innovation Solution
An Overlay Network Manager (ONM) system provides logical networking functionality for virtual computer networks by configuring network topologies without physical implementation, using intermediate physical networks as substrates and managing communications through communication manager modules to emulate logical networking devices, allowing virtual network addresses to be embedded in substrate addresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If virtualization technologies are employed to manage large-scale computing resources, then resource sharing efficiency and security are improved, but the complexity of provisioning, administering, and managing physical computing resources increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network virtualization layer as an intermediary between physical network infrastructure and virtual computing resources. This layer includes virtual network devices, virtual switches, and control plane functions that abstract and simplify the management of underlying physical resources while enabling efficient resource sharing and isolation across multiple virtual machines and tenants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments network management functions into separate control plane and data plane components. The control plane handles provisioning, configuration, and management tasks, while the data plane handles actual packet forwarding. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each plane and simplifies the overall management complexity by separating control logic from forwarding operations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If virtual network devices are implemented without physical implementation, then network topology flexibility and deployment speed are improved, but the complexity of emulating logical networking functionality increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of physical network devices through software-based virtual network devices that replicate the functionality of physical switches, routers, and other networking equipment. These virtual devices can be instantiated, configured, and managed through software, enabling rapid deployment of network topologies without physical hardware changes while maintaining the complexity management through standardized virtual device interfaces.
3Productivity
If virtual network addresses are embedded in substrate addresses, then network integration and communication efficiency are improved, but the complexity of address mapping and translation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds virtual network addresses within physical substrate addresses using a nested addressing scheme. Virtual network identifiers are encoded within the structure of physical network addresses, allowing efficient address translation and routing. This nesting approach enables direct mapping between virtual and physical address spaces, improving communication efficiency while managing translation complexity through hierarchical address structure.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are described for providing logical networking functionality for managed computer networks, such as for virtual computer networks provided on behalf of users or other entities. In some situations, a user may configure or otherwise specify a network topology for a virtual computer network, such as a logical network topology that separates multiple computing nodes of the virtual computer network into multiple logical sub-networks and/or that specifies one or more logical networking devices for the virtual computer network. After a network topology is specified for a virtual computer network, logical networking functionality corresponding to the network topology may be provided in various manners, such as without physically implementing the network topology for the virtual computer network. In some situations, the computing nodes may include virtual machine nodes hosted on one or more physical computing machines or systems, such as by or on behalf of one or more users.