VXLAN Encapsulation for COS TTL Inheritance and Path Tracing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for managing connections between virtual machines using VX-LAN are inadequate in ensuring high performance and reliability, as they fail to inherit actual COS and TTL values during encapsulation and lack provisions for tracing or identifying data paths and faults.
Innovation Solution
A method that generates data packets with inherent or user-defined COS and TTL values, allows tracing of communication paths by incrementing TTL values, and implements Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) to diagnose faulty nodes, while extending the Network Virtualization Overlay (NVO) framework with optimized virtualized transport mechanisms for improved fault monitoring and resource utilization management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If VX-LAN encapsulation is used to transfer packets between virtual machines, then virtual network connectivity is established, but COS and TTL values are completely encapsulated and cannot be inherited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the COS and TTL values from the inner encapsulated header and places them in the outer VX-LAN header. This allows the critical QoS and routing information to be accessible to network switches while maintaining VX-LAN encapsulation for virtual machine connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested header structure where the outer VX-LAN header contains COS and TTL fields that mirror or extend the inner header fields. This nested arrangement allows both encapsulation benefits and information inheritance simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If VX-LAN encapsulation is used for virtual machine connections, then virtual network flexibility is achieved, but provisions to trace or identify VX-LAN data path and fault nodes are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses TTL value decrementation as a mechanism to trace packet journey through the network. Each switch that processes the packet can observe the TTL value changes, effectively creating a traceable path similar to how color changes can indicate position or state in a system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements BFD (Bidirectional Forwarding Detection) mechanisms that provide continuous feedback about network path status and node health. This allows real-time monitoring and rapid detection of faults in the VX-LAN data path.
3Reliability
If zero loss is required for virtualized servers, then service quality is maintained, but actual COS and TTL values must be inherited which is not possible with complete encapsulation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different quality requirements to different parts of the packet structure. The outer VX-LAN header contains the COS and TTL fields needed for QoS and routing, while the inner header maintains the original encapsulation structure. This local differentiation allows zero loss service while managing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for resource optimized network virtualization overlay transport in a virtualized data center environment includes an optimized virtualized transport mechanism based on MPLS-TP tunneling technology. The transport mechanism may include a usage monitoring and resource usage advertisement mechanism based on IGP-TE protocol extension. Also, the transport mechanism may include a path computation engine (PCE) based optimal path computation for a virtualized transport tunnel used to carry VM-to-VM traffic across the virtualized data center. Additionally, the transport mechanism may include a SDN controller for provisioning and control of virtualized machines and a virtualized transport system.