System and method for minimizing data packet loss during traffic migration to a software defined networking (SDN) appliance

1 . A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising:

receiving a request to route network traffic between a virtual network device in a virtual network and a bare-metal electronic device using a software defined networking (SDN) appliance, wherein the virtual network device includes an existing direct network connection with a Virtual extensible Local-Area Network (VXLAN) switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device;

installing an interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network device, the interim shadow mapping policy configuring the virtual network device to receive network traffic from the SDN appliance while continuing to direct network traffic from the virtual network device to the VXLAN switch;

redirecting network traffic from the VXLAN switch, forwarded from the bare-metal electronic device, to the SDN appliance; and

installing a new mapping policy update on the virtual network device for routing network traffic directed to the bare-metal electronic device from the virtual network device to the SDN appliance.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

forwarding network traffic received from the virtual network device to the VXLAN switch using the existing direct network connection with the VXLAN switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device after installing the interim shadow mapping policy.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the interim shadow mapping policy enables the virtual network device in the virtual network to establish a network connection with the SDN appliance.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

routing the network traffic received at the SDN appliance from the bare-metal electronic device to the virtual network device.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein routing the network traffic from the bare-metal electronic device includes enforcing a SDN policy on the network traffic from the bare-metal electronic device.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein routing the network traffic from the virtual network device includes enforcing a SDN policy on the network traffic from the virtual network device.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network device.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

removing the existing direct network connection between the virtual network device and the VXLAN switch.

9 . A computing system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to:

receive a request to route network traffic between a virtual network host in a virtual network and a bare-metal electronic device using a software defined networking (SDN) appliance, wherein the virtual network host includes an existing direct network connection with a Virtual extensible Local-Area Network (VXLAN) switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device,

install an interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network host, the interim shadow mapping policy configuring the virtual network host to receive network traffic from the SDN appliance while continuing to direct network traffic from the virtual network host to the VXLAN switch,

redirect network traffic from VXLAN switch, forwarded from the bare-metal electronic device, to the SDN appliance,

install a new mapping policy update on the virtual network host for routing network traffic directed to the bare-metal electronic device from the virtual network host to the SDN appliance, and

route the network traffic from the virtual network host and the network traffic forwarded from the bare-metal electronic device using the SDN appliance.

10 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

forward traffic received from the virtual network host to the VXLAN switch using the existing connection with the VXLAN switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device after installing the interim shadow mapping policy.

11 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the interim shadow mapping policy enables the virtual network host in the virtual network to establish a network connection with the SDN appliance.

12 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

route the network traffic received at the SDN appliance from the bare-metal electronic device to the virtual network host.

13 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein to route the network traffic from the bare-metal electronic device the processor is further configured to:

enforce a SDN policy on the network traffic from the bare-metal electronic device.

14 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein to route the network traffic from the virtual network host, the processor is further configured to:

enforce a SDN policy on the network traffic from the virtual network host.

15 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

remove the interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network host.

16 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

remove the existing direct network connection between the virtual network host and the VXLAN switch.

17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a request to route network traffic between a virtual network host in a virtual network and a bare-metal electronic device using a software defined networking (SDN) appliance, wherein the virtual network host includes a virtual machine and an existing direct network connection with a Virtual extensible Local-Area Network (VXLAN) switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device;

install an interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network host, the interim shadow mapping policy configuring the virtual network host to receive network traffic from the SDN appliance while continuing to direct network traffic from the virtual network host to the VXLAN switch;

redirect network traffic from VXLAN switch, forwarded from the bare-metal electronic device, to the SDN appliance;

install a new mapping policy update on the virtual network host for routing network traffic from the virtual network host to the SDN appliance;

remove the interim shadow mapping policy on the virtual network host; and

route the network traffic from the virtual network host and the network traffic forwarded from the bare-metal electronic device using the SDN appliance.

18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

forward network traffic from the virtual network host to the VXLAN switch using the existing connection with the VXLAN switch coupled to the bare-metal electronic device after installing the interim shadow mapping policy.

19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the interim shadow mapping policy enables the virtual network host in the virtual network to establish a network connection with the SDN appliance.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

route the network traffic received at the SDN appliance from the bare-metal electronic device to the virtual network host.