Virtual Router Dynamic Flow Offload for SDN Scalability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional network traffic routing models are ineffective for large virtual networks due to decoupling of control and data planes in software-defined networking, leading to scalability and latency issues.
Innovation Solution
Implementing virtual routers and dynamic offloading to route network traffic, where virtual machines can send packets to virtual routers for forwarding, reducing the need for complete routing tables and enabling multi-tenancy, with load-balancing and flow offloading to improve scalability and latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional network traffic routing models are used in software-defined networks, then routing decisions can be made through control plane abstraction, but scalability and programming latency deteriorate in large virtual networks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-programs routing tables in virtual routers before network traffic flows are established. Control plane devices prepare routing information in advance and install it in virtual router forwarding tables, so when traffic needs to be routed, the pre-programmed routes are immediately available without requiring real-time computation or programming delays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual routers as intermediary devices between source and destination virtual machines. These virtual routers act as mediators that handle forwarding decisions using pre-programmed routing tables, eliminating the need for direct control plane involvement in each routing decision and thereby reducing programming latency while maintaining routing flexibility
2Ease of operation
If complete routing tables are maintained in virtual networks, then routing decisions can be made autonomously, but device complexity and scalability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the virtual network into multiple virtual router instances distributed across different host machines. Each virtual router maintains only the routing information necessary for its local segment rather than complete end-to-end routing tables. This segmentation reduces the complexity at each individual device while enabling autonomous routing within each segment through the virtual router forwarding tables
3Adaptability or versatility
If virtual networks support multi-tenancy and dynamic routing, then adaptability improves, but programming latency and scalability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements virtual router forwarding tables that are universally applicable across multiple virtual networks and tenants. The same virtual router infrastructure and forwarding table structure serve multiple virtual networks simultaneously, allowing a single programmable device to handle routing for different tenants with different routing requirements. This multi-functionality enables dynamic routing adaptation for multi-tenancy without requiring separate programming operations for each tenant, thereby improving network programming efficiency while maintaining adaptability
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for dynamically offloading network traffic flows in one or more virtual networks are disclosed. An example method begins with identifying a virtual router through which to route network traffic of a specific network flow, wherein the specific network flow has a source endpoint existing on a source host machine and a destination endpoint existing on a destination host machine. Flow statistics including statistics about the specific network flow are received. A determination is made as to whether the specific network flow meets an offload rule using the received flow statistics. In response to determining that the specific flow meets the offload rule, the specific network flow is offloaded from the virtual router.