Virtual Tunnel Endpoint Segmentation for Tenant Routing Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current network virtualization technologies face challenges in implementing flexible routing control and bandwidth guarantee for specific tenants, as they often use the same source and destination IP addresses for all communications, leading to unbalanced load distribution and inability to dynamically change forwarding routes during network failures or congestion.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves assigning different IP addresses to each virtual tunnel endpoint (VTEP) and using unique virtual network identifiers (VNIs) for each Layer 2 network, allowing for flexible routing and bandwidth allocation, and dynamically switching communication paths when abnormalities are detected.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the same source IP address and destination IP address are used for all communications between VTEPs, then ECMP can be used to extend bandwidth, but it becomes impossible to perform forwarding after implementing bandwidth guarantee and priority control on communication of specific tenants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single VTEP into multiple VTEPs, each with its own IP address. This segmentation allows different VTEPs to handle different tenant communications with distinct source and destination IP addresses, enabling both ECMP for bandwidth extension and priority control for specific tenants through differentiated routing policies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning specific IP addresses to specific VTEPs based on their functional requirements. Each VTEP has customized IP addressing and routing characteristics tailored to the tenants it serves, allowing bandwidth guarantee and priority control to be implemented locally for specific tenant communications while maintaining ECMP capabilities.
2Power
If ECMP is used to spread load across multiple communication routes, then bandwidth is extended, but load distribution becomes unbalanced when the same source and destination IP addresses are used
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the VTEP into multiple instances with unique IP addresses, the patent enables more granular load distribution across ECMP routes. Different VTEP IP pairs can be assigned to different physical paths, achieving balanced load distribution while maintaining extended bandwidth capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the IP address parameters of VTEPs to enable differentiated routing. By varying source and destination IP addresses across multiple VTEPs, the system can optimize load distribution across multiple routes, preventing imbalance while maintaining bandwidth extension through ECMP.
3Device complexity
If one VTEP is provided in each physical server, then the structure is simple, but flexible routing control and bandwidth guarantee for specific tenants cannot be implemented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single VTEP per server into multiple VTEPs, each capable of handling specific tenant communications independently. This segmentation increases structural complexity but enables flexible routing control and bandwidth guarantee by allowing different VTEPs to be assigned to different tenants with customized routing policies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes VTEPs multi-functional by enabling each VTEP to serve specific tenant requirements while collectively providing ECMP capabilities. The multiple VTEPs can simultaneously handle different tenant traffic with differentiated services, combining the simplicity of standardized VTEP structures with the flexibility of tenant-specific routing control.
4Area of stationary object
If a large-scale Layer 2 network is constructed between remote locations via Layer 3 network, then network coverage is extended, but communication control between multiple tenants becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the large-scale Layer 2 network into multiple isolated VTEP instances, each handling specific tenant communications. This segmentation maintains extended network coverage across remote locations while simplifying communication control by isolating tenant traffic into separate VTEP contexts, preventing cross-tenant interference and reducing control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces VTEPs as intermediary devices between Layer 2 tenant networks and Layer 3 infrastructure. These intermediaries provide standardized interfaces for tenant communications while abstracting the complexity of multi-tenant control, enabling large-scale network coverage with manageable communication control through centralized VTEP management.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual tunnel endpoint that makes a communication of a specific tenant is separated from virtual tunnel endpoints that make communications of the other tenants. A forwarding route from the virtual tunnel endpoint that makes a communication of the specific tenant is separated from a forwarding route from the virtual tunnel endpoints that make communications of the other tenants. Accordingly, a communication of the specific tenant is forwarded with priority.