Devices, systems and methods for service chains
Routers using virtual routing and forwarding nodes to implement a service fabric of service chains. The router may configure M+1 virtual routing and forwarding instances, M being an integer representing a number of a plurality of service appliances in a data center network. Each virtual routing and forwarding instance may be associated with a routing table of routing rules to define various service chain routing paths. The routing rules are based on destination addresses in data packets.
1. A router comprising:
an ingress port for receiving network data packets from a plurality of source nodes of a plurality of networks, each network data packet having a destination address;
an egress port for transmitting the network data packets to at least one destination node;
M+1 virtual routing and forwarding instances, VRFIs, for routing at least one of the network data packets to at least one of M service appliances, M being an integer greater than one; and
a persistent store for storing a plurality of routing tables, each routing table defining a plurality of routing rules for a VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs based on the destination addresses of the network data packets.
2. The router of claim 1 , wherein the M+1 VRFIs comprise a VRFI for each service appliance of the M service appliances and an additional VRFI.
3. The router of claim 1 , wherein the routing rules are not based on source addresses of the network data packets.
4. The router of claim 1 , wherein the routing rules route a segment of the network data packets to bypass at least one service appliance of the M service appliances.
5. The router of claim 1 , wherein the number of VRFIs of the M+1 VRFIs is not based on the number of networks of the plurality of networks.
6. The router of claim 1 , wherein the network data packets received at the ingress port from the plurality of networks are routed by a common VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs.
7. The router of claim 1 , wherein each VRFI is associated with a routing table of the plurality of routing tables.
8. The router of claim 1 , wherein the number of VRFIs is based on the number of service appliances.
9. The router of claim 1 , wherein the number of the plurality of networks is N, N being an integer greater than M+1.
10. The router of claim 1 , wherein the M service appliances comprise at least one appliance selected from the group consisting of: firewall appliance, load balancing appliance, web service appliance, data service appliance, network address translator appliance, intrusion detection system appliance, and intrusion prevention system appliance.
11. A system comprising:
M service appliances, M being an integer greater than one;
a router comprising:
an ingress port for receiving network data packets from a plurality of source nodes of a plurality of networks, each network data packet having a destination address;
an egress port for transmitting the network data packets to at least one destination node;
a plurality of ports operable for connecting to the M service appliances;
M+1 virtual routing and forwarding instances, VRFIs, for routing at least one of the network data packets to at least one of the M service appliances, a common VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs routing the network data packets received at the ingress port from the plurality of networks; and
a persistent store for non-transitorily storing a plurality of routing tables, each routing table defining a plurality of routing rules for a VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs based on the destination addresses of the network data packets.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the M+1 VRFIs comprise a VRFI for each of the M service appliances and an additional VRFI.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the routing rules are not based on source addresses of the network data packets.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the routing rules route a segment of the network data packets to bypass at least one service appliance of the M service appliances.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the number of VRFIs of the M+1 VRFIs is not based on the number of networks of the plurality of networks.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein each VRFI is associated with a routing table of the plurality of routing tables.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the number of VRFIs is based on the number of service appliances.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of networks provide N different networks, N being an integer greater than M+1.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the M service appliances comprise at least one appliance selected from the group consisting of: firewall appliance, load balancing appliance, web service appliance, data service appliance, network address translator appliance, intrusion detection system appliance, and intrusion prevention system appliance.
20. A method for providing a plurality of service chains, comprising:
receiving network data packets from a plurality of networks at an ingress port of the router, each of the network data packets having a destination address;
configuring a router with M+1 virtual routing and forwarding instances, VRFIs, for routing at least one network data packet to at least one of M service appliances, M being an integer greater than one;
storing a plurality of routing tables in a persistent data store, each routing table defining a plurality of routing rules for a VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs based on destination addresses of the network data packets;
defining a plurality of service chains using the M+1 VRFIs;
routing, using at least one of the M+1 VRFIs, the at least one network data packet based on the at least one destination address of the at least one network data packet using at least one routing rule; and
transmitting the at least one routed network data packet to a destination node at the egress port of the router.
21. The method of claim 20 , further routing a segment of data packets to bypass at least one service appliance.
22. The method of claim 20 , further comprising associating each VRFI with a routing table.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the M+1 VRFIs comprise a VRFI for each service appliance of the M service appliances and an additional VRFI.
24. A method for routing network data packets comprising:
receiving network data packets at an ingress port of a router, each of the network data packets having a destination address;
routing, by at least one of M+1 virtual routing and forwarding instances, VRFIs, at least one network data packet to at least one of the M service appliances based on the at least one destination address of the at least one network data packet, M being an integer greater than one; and
transmitting the routed at least one network data packet to a destination node at the egress port of the router.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of receiving comprises receiving the at least one network data packet at the ingress port from at least one of N networks, N being an integer greater than M+1.
26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing the at least one network data packet received at an ingress port to a common VRFI of the M+1 VRFIs.