IP Library Granted Patent US 11,303,577
Granted Patent B2
US 11,303,577 · App. 16/556,557 · Granted Apr 12, 2022

Prioritizing flows in software defined networks

Inventors: Yong Wang (Sunnyvale, CA); Ronghua Zhang (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Nicira, Inc.
H04L47/6215H04L45/26H04L45/42H04L45/02H04L45/302H04L45/38H04L47/20H04L49/90
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,303,577
App. No.
16/556,557
Granted
Apr 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance network traffic management. In one implementation, a method of operating a network interface system on a host computing system includes receiving a plurality of network packets and, for each packet in the plurality of network packets, identifying whether the packet comprises a control packet for fault detection in a software defined network (SDN). The method further includes prioritizing, for processing by a main processing system of the computing system, each packet in the plurality of network packets based on whether the packet comprises a control packet for fault detection in a SDN.

Claims (28)

1. A method comprising:

receiving a network packet on a host;

determining that the network packet comprises a control packet for a software defined network (SDN);

in response to determining that the network packet comprises a control packet, placing the network packet in a first processing queue of a plurality of processing queues allocated to control packets on the host;

receiving a second network packet;

determining that the second network packet does not comprise a control packet for the software defined network; and

in response to determining that the second network packet does not comprise a control packet, placing the second network packet in a second processing queue of the plurality of processing queues not allocated to control packets.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control packet comprises a Bidirectional Forwarding Detection packet.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control packet comprises a Border Gateway Protocol packet.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first processing queue is allocated a first set of processing resources for the host and wherein the second processing queue is allocated a second set of processing resources for the host.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first set of processing resources comprise a first processing core allocation, a first clock cycle allocation, or a first memory allocation, and wherein the second set of processing resources comprise a second processing core allocation, a second clock cycle allocation, or a second memory allocation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network packet is encapsulated in a tunneling packet, and wherein determining that the network packet comprises a control packet comprises determining that the packet comprises a control packet based on an identifier within a header of the tunneling packet.

7. A network interface system on a host comprising:

a storage system;

a processing system operatively coupled to the storage system;

program instructions stored on the storage system that, when executed by the processing system, direct the processing system to:

receive a network packet;

determine that the network packet comprises a control packet for a software defined network (SDN);

in response to determining that the network packet comprises a control packet, placing the network packet in a first processing queue of a plurality of processing queues allocated to control packets on the host;

receive a second network packet;

determine that the second network packet does not comprise a control packet for the software defined network; and

in response to determining that the second packet does not comprise a control packet, place the second network packet in a second processing queue of the plurality of processing queues not allocated to control packets.

8. The network interface system of claim 7 , wherein the control packet comprises a Bidirectional Forwarding Detection packet.

9. The network interface system of claim 7 , wherein the control packet comprises a Border Gateway Protocol packet.

10. The network interface system of claim 7 , wherein the first processing queue is allocated a first set of processing resources for the host and wherein the second processing queue is allocated a second set of processing resources for the host.

11. The network interface system of claim 10 , wherein the first set of processing resources comprise a first processing core allocation, a first clock cycle allocation, or a first memory allocation, and wherein the second set of processing resources comprise a second processing core allocation, a second clock cycle allocation, or a second memory allocation.

12. The network interface system of claim 7 , wherein the network packet is encapsulated in a tunneling packet, and wherein determining that the network packet comprises a control packet comprises determining that the packet comprises a control packet based on an identifier within a header of the tunneling packet.

13. The network interface system of claim 12 , wherein the tunneling packet comprises a Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) packet or a Generic Network Virtualization Encapsulation (GENEVE) packet.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Jan 27, 2025
From: NICIRA, INC.
To: VMWARE LLC
Reel/Frame 070187/0487 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 050221 FRAME 0164. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 3, 2019
From: WANG, YONG; ZHANG, RONGHUA
To: NICIRA, INC.
Reel/Frame 050270/0550 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 30, 2019
From: WANG, YONG; ZHANG, RONGHUA
To: VMWARE, INC.
Reel/Frame 050221/0164 →