Optimizing traffic paths to orphaned hosts in VXLAN networks using virtual link trunking-based multi-homing

1. A computer-implemented method for optimizing traffic paths for orphaned hosts in a VXLAN system, comprising:

configuring virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all multi-homed hosts in the system using an Anycast VXLAN tunnel endpoint-Internet Protocol address (VTEP-IP);

configuring the virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all single-homed hosts in the system using a secondary VTEP-IP;

directing unicast traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to VLT peers directly connected to the single-homed hosts using the secondary VTEP-IP;

directing Broadcast, unknown unicast, and multicast (BUM) traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to VLT peers directly connected to the single homed hosts using an Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag route, wherein the Anycast VTEP-IP and secondary VTEP-IP are assigned to the VLT peers through a dynamic VTEP-IP allocation scheme for VLT peers;

configuring each node in an n-node VLT domain with an identical set of (2 n −n−1) IP addresses, to be used as the Anycast VTEP-IPs for all possible (2 n −n−1) subset combinations of the n-nodes;

designating a primary node to identify the VLT subset combinations and assign respective IP addresses to individual VLT nodes;

maintaining, in each VLT peer, the respective IP addresses assigned and used by the individual VLT nodes;

assigning, to each identified VLT subset combination, an Anycast VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from multi-homed Ethernet segments; and

assigning, to each individual VLT peer, a secondary VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from single-homed Ethernet segments.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if receiving a packet from a single homed host, setting a source IP to a secondary address;

if receiving a packet from a multi-homed host, setting the source IP to an appropriate Anycast address;

if a packet is destined to a single-homed host based on a destination lookup, setting a destination address as the secondary VTEP-IP; and

if the packet is destined to a multi-homed host based on the destination lookup, setting the destination address to an appropriate Anycast VTEP-IP.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein, for unicast traffic and single-homed hosts, the method further comprises:

encapsulating originating traffic into a VXLAN packet with a source VTEP-IP set to the secondary VTEP-IP assigned to handle all traffic to and from the single-homed hosts for transmission to a destination VTEP; and

setting the destination VTEP-IP for inbound traffic destined to the single-homed hosts as the secondary VTEP-IP that advertised the MAC addresses learned from the single-homed hosts.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein, for BUM traffic, the method further comprises:

receiving, in a VLT peer, BUM traffic from either multi-homed hosts or single-homed hosts, ingress replicates the received traffic towards all remote VTEP endpoints that have advertised the Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag Route; and

flooding the received traffic onto all locally attached Ethernet segments that are configured for that EVI.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein VXLAN system implements a routing protocol comprising a border gateway protocol-Ethernet VPN (BGP-EVPN).

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the BGP-EVPN system implements a multi-homing mechanism comprising one of a Link Aggregation or Virtual Link Trunking feature of network interface hardware in the system.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting two or more of the VLT peers to be part of the same EVPN instance.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a new VLT peer joining the VLT domain;

dispensing, from the primary node, the set of Anycast and secondary VTEP-IP addresses to be used for multi-homed and single-homed traffic, and

in the event the new VLT peer is attached to and EVI that is also attached to a VLT peer in the same VLT domain, advertising all MAC addresses learned on the Ethernet segment with a new Anycast VTEP-IP assigned to the respective VLT subset combination.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a new VLT peer splitting from the VLT domain;

assuming, in any remaining VLT peers in the VLT domain, the Anycast VTEP-IP that was assigned for the VLT subset combination not containing the split VLT peer; and

re-advertising all MAC addresses learned from the attached Ethernet segment with the assumed Anycast VTEP-IP as a next hop.

10. A system for optimizing traffic paths for orphaned hosts in a VXLAN system, comprising:

a first component configuring virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all multi-homed hosts in the system using Anycast VXLAN tunnel endpoint-Internet Protocol address (VTEP-IP), configuring the virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all single-homed hosts in the system using a secondary VTEP-IP; and

a transmission interface directing unicast traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to VLT peers directly connected to the single-homed hosts using the Secondary VTEP-IP, and directing Broadcast, unknown unicast, and multi-cast (BUM) traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to VLT peers directly connected to the single-homed hosts using an Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag route, wherein the Anycast VTEP-IP and secondary VTEP-IP are assigned to the VLT peers through a dynamic VTEP-IP allocation scheme for VLT peers, the transmission interface further configuring each node in an n-node VLT domain with an identical set of (2 n −n−1) IP addresses, to be used as the Anycast VTEP-IPs for all possible (2 n −n−1) subset combinations of the n-nodes; designating a primary node to identify the VLT subset combinations and assign respective IP addresses to individual VLT nodes; maintaining, in each VLT peer, the respective IP addresses assigned and used by the individual VLT nodes; assigning, to each identified VLT subset combination, an Anycast VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from multi-homed Ethernet segments; and assigning, to each individual VLT peer, a secondary VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from single-homed Ethernet segments.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the system further comprises:

a second component configured to set a source IP to a secondary address if receiving a packet from a single homed host, and set the source IP to an appropriate Anycast address if receiving the packet from a multi-homed host; and

a third component setting a destination address as the secondary VTEP-IP if a packet is destined to a single-homed host based on a destination lookup, and setting the destination address to an appropriate Anycast VTEP-IP if the packet is destined to a multi-homed host based on the destination lookup.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein, for BUM traffic, the system further comprises a fifth component receiving, in a VLT peer, BUM traffic from either multi-homed hosts or single-homed hosts, ingress replicates the received traffic towards all remote VTEP endpoints that have advertised the Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag Route, and flooding the received traffic onto all locally attached Ethernet segments in the EVI for those packets.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the VXLAN system implements a routing protocol comprising a border gateway protocol-Ethernet VPN (BGP-EVPN).

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the BGP-EVPN system implements a multi-homing mechanism comprising one of a Link Aggregation or Virtual Link Trunking feature of network interface hardware in the system.

15. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed by one or more processors to optimize traffic paths for orphaned hosts in a VXLAN system, comprising:

configuring virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all multi-homed hosts in the system using Anycast VXLAN tunnel endpoint-Internet Protocol (VTEP-IP);

configuring the virtual link trunking (VLT) peers to advertise MAC addresses learned from all single-homed hosts in the system using a secondary VTEP-IP;

directing unicast traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to directly connected VLT peers using the Secondary VTEP-IP;

directing Broadcast, unknown unicast, and multi-cast (BUM) traffic destined to the single-homed hosts to directly connected VLT peers using an Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag routing, wherein the Anycast VTEP-IP and secondary VTEP-IP are assigned to the VLT peers through a dynamic VTEP-IP allocation scheme for VLT peers;

configuring each node in an n-node VLT domain with an identical set of (2 n −n−1) IP addresses, to be used as the Anycast VTEP-IPs for all possible (2 n −n−1) subset combinations of the n-nodes;

designating a primary node to identify the VLT subset combinations and assign respective IP addresses to individual VLT nodes;

maintaining, in each VLT peer, the respective IP addresses assigned and used by the individual VLT nodes;

assigning, to each identified VLT subset combination, an Anycast VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from multi-homed Ethernet segments; and

assigning, to each individual VLT peer, a secondary VTEP-IP to advertise the MAC addresses learned from single-homed Ethernet segments.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code is further adapted to:

if receiving a packet from a single homed host, setting a source IP to a secondary address;

if receiving a packet from a multi-homed host, setting the source IP to an appropriate Anycast address;

if a packet is destined to a single-homed host based on a destination lookup, setting a destination address as the secondary VTEP-IP; and

if the packet is destined to a multi-homed host based on the destination lookup, setting the destination address to an appropriate Anycast VTEP-IP.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code is further adapted to, for unicast traffic and single-homed hosts:

encapsulating originating traffic into a VXLAN packet with a source VTEP-IP set to the secondary VTEP-IP assigned to handle all traffic to and from the single-homed hosts for transmission to a destination VTEP; and

setting the destination VTEP-IP for inbound traffic destined to the single-homed hosts as the secondary VTEP-IP that advertised the MAC addresses learned from the single-homed hosts.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the program code is further adapted to, for BUM traffic:

receiving, in a VLT peer, BUM traffic from either multi-homed hosts or single-homed hosts, ingress replicates the received traffic towards all remote VTEP endpoints that have advertised the Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag Route; and

flooding the received traffic onto all locally attached Ethernet segments that are configured for that EVI.