Determining node behavior in deterministic networks
This disclosure describes techniques for monitoring expected behavior of devices in a computing network. Behavior of network devices may include performing various functions associated with transferring data packets through the computing network. Monitoring expected behavior may include sending a probe packet into the computing network, and determining whether network devices behave as expected with respect to the probe packet. In some examples, behaviors such as replicating, forwarding, eliminating, ordering, and/or other functions regarding data packets may be validated using the present techniques. As computing networks and/or operations become more complex, assuring the expected behavior of network devices may become more important for the continued efficient, smooth, successful, and/or timely flow of data traffic.
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
generating, at an operations, administration, and management (OAM) server, a data plane probe packet with a header including one or more segment identifiers (SIDs) corresponding to one or more network devices of a computing network, the one or more SIDs corresponding to an instruction for the one or more network devices to send a data plane message to the OAM server indicating an operation performed on the data plane probe packet;
sending, from the OAM server, the data plane probe packet to at least one of the one or more network devices via a bidirectional data plane channel for transport through the computing network;
receiving, at the OAM server, the data plane message from the one or more network devices of the computing network via the bidirectional data plane channel, the data plane message indicating the operation performed by the one or more network devices on the data plane probe packet; and
comparing, by the OAM server, the operation indicated in the data plane message with a predefined operation associated with the one or more network devices to determine an operational status of the computing network.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the operation includes at least one of:
replicating the data plane probe packet;
ordering the data plane probe packet with respect to other data plane probe packets; and
eliminating at least one replication of the data plane probe packet.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the OAM server sends the data plane probe packet to and receives the data plane message from the same network device of the one or more network devices.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the OAM server sends the data plane probe packet to a first network device of the one or more network devices and receives the data plane message from a different, second network device of the one or more network devices.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the header of the probe packet includes an SID corresponding to the second network device.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data plane message indicates the operation performed on the data plane probe packet via an SID corresponding to the OAM server.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the header of the probe packet specifies an OAM timeslot for sending the probe packet to the at least one of the one or more network devices.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing the operation results in determining that the operation matches the predefined operation and the operational status of the computing network is determined to be satisfactory.
9. An operations, administration, and management (OAM) server comprising:
one or more processors configured to communicate via a bidirectional data plane channel with one or more network devices of a computing network; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
generate a data plane probe packet with a header including one or more segment identifiers (SIDs) corresponding to the one or more network devices of the computing network, the one or more SIDs corresponding to an instruction for the one or more network devices to send a data plane message to the OAM server indicating an operation performed on the data plane probe packet;
send the data plane probe packet to at least one of the one or more network devices via the bidirectional data plane channel for transport through the computing network;
receive the data plane message from the one or more network devices of the computing network via the bidirectional data plane channel, the data plane message indicating the operation performed by the one or more network devices on the data plane probe packet; and
compare the operation indicated in the data plane message with a predefined operation associated with the one or more network devices to determine an operational status of the computing network.
10. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the operation includes at least one of:
replicating the data plane probe packet;
ordering the data plane probe packet with respect to other data plane probe packets; and
eliminating at least one replication of the data plane probe packet.
11. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
send the data plane probe packet to and receive the data plane message from the same network device of the one or more network devices.
12. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
send the data plane probe packet to a first network device of the one or more network devices and receive the data plane message from a different, second network device of the one or more network devices.
13. The OAM server of claim 12 , wherein the header of the probe packet includes an SID corresponding to the second network device.
14. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the message indicates the operation performed on the data plane probe packet via an SID corresponding to the OAM server.
15. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the header of the probe packet specifies an OAM timeslot for sending the probe packet to the at least one of the one or more network devices.
16. The OAM server of claim 9 , wherein the comparing the operation results in determining that the operation matches the predefined operation and the operational status of the computing network is determined to be satisfactory.
17. A method comprising:
generating, at an operations, administration, and management (OAM) server, a data plane probe packet with a header including a segment identifier (SID) corresponding to a network device of a computing network, the SID corresponding to an instruction for the network device to send a data plane message to the OAM server indicating an operation performed on the data plane probe packet;
sending, from the OAM server, the data plane probe packet to the computing network for transport through the computing network;
receiving, at the OAM server, the data plane message from the network device via a bidirectional data plane channel, the data plane message indicating the operation performed by the network device on the data plane probe packet; and
comparing, by the OAM server, the operation indicated in the data plane message with a predefined operation associated with the network device to determine an operational status of the computing network.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the computing network comprises a multi-hop and wireless mesh structure.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the network device is a deterministic networking device.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the bidirectional data plane channel utilizes a data plane of the computing network.