Virtual cluster establishment method and network device

1. A virtual cluster establishment method, comprising:

establishing, by a first network device, a network-layer-based first communication connection with a second network device;

sending, by the first network device, a first registration request message to the second network device through the network-layer-based first communication connection for establishing a virtual cluster comprising the first network device and the second network device, wherein the first registration request message carries registration information of the first network device;

after the first network device receives a first registration response message sent by the second network device for indicating that the virtual cluster is successfully established, selecting the second network device as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster;

establishing, by the first network device, a network-layer-based second communication connection with a third network device;

sending, by the first network device, a second registration request message to the third network device through the network-layer-based second communication connection for requesting the third network device to join the virtual cluster;

after the first network device receives a second registration response message sent by the third network device, selecting, by the first network device, the third network device as a standby main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster;

wherein selecting the second network device as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster system comprises:

forwarding, by the first network device, a control protocol packet received from a network device outside the virtual cluster to the second network device through the network-layer-based first communication connection to enable the second network device to generate an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster according to the control protocol packet; and

receiving, by the first network device, the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is sent by the second network device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the network-layer-based first communication connection established by the first network device with the second network device passes through a fourth network device, wherein the fourth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster; or

the network-layer-based second communication connection established by the first network device with the third network device passes through a fifth network device, wherein the fifth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second registration request message sent by the first network device comprises an address of the second network device, to enable, after receiving the second registration request message, the third network device to establish a network-layer-based third communication connection with the second network device according to the address of the second network device, for sending the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster to the third network device by the second network device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

when the first network device detects that the network-layer-based first communication connection to the second network device is interrupted, sending a notification message to the third network device for instructing the third network device to upgrade to the active main control device of the first network device.

5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving, by the first network device, the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster sent by the third network device; and

updating, by the first network device and according to the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster sent by the third network device, an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is locally stored in the first network device, and deleting an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is locally stored and is not updated.

6. A virtual cluster establishment method, comprising:

establishing, by a second network device, a network-layer-based first communication connection with a first network device;

establishing, by the second network device, a network-layer-based third communication connection with a third network device;

receiving, by the second network device, a first registration request message sent through the network-layer-based first communication connection by the first network device, wherein the first registration request message carries registration information of the first network device;

receiving, by the second network device, a third registration request message sent through the network-layer-based third communication connection by the third network device;

establishing, by the second network device, a virtual cluster comprising the second network device, the first network device and the third network device according to the first registration request message and the third registration request message, wherein the second network device is used as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster, and the third network device is used as a standby main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster; and

wherein using the second network device as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster system comprises:

receiving, by the second network device, a control protocol packet that is sent through the network-layer-based first communication connection by the first network device, wherein the control protocol packet is received by the first network device from a network device outside the virtual cluster; and

generating, by the second network device, an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster according to the control protocol packet, and sending the forwarding table to the first network device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the network-layer-based first communication connection established by the second network device with the first network device passes through a fourth network device, wherein the fourth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster.

8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

when the network-layer-based first communication connection between the second network device and the first network device is interrupted, upgrading the third network device to the active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster.

9. A first network device, comprising:

a processor, configured to establish a network-layer-based first communication connection with a second network device, and configured to establish a network-layer-based second communication connection with a third network device;

a transceiver, configured to:

send a first registration request message to the second network device through the network-layer-based first communication connection for establishing a virtual cluster comprising the first network device and the second network device, wherein the first registration request message carries registration information of the first network device,

receive a first registration response message sent by the second network device, wherein the first registration response message indicates that the virtual cluster is successfully established,

send a second registration request message to the third network device through the network-layer-based second communication connection for requesting the third network device to join the virtual cluster, and

receive a second registration response message sent by the third network device; and

wherein the processor is configured to:

after the transceiver receives the first registration response message sent by the second network device for indicating that the virtual cluster is successfully established, select the second network device as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster system; and

after the transceiver receives the second registration response message sent by the third network device, select the third network device as a standby main control device of the first network device itself in the virtual cluster;

wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

forward a control protocol packet received from a network device outside the virtual cluster to the second network device through the network-layer-based first communication connection to enable the second network device to generate an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster according to the control protocol packet; and

receive the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is sent by the second network device.

10. The first network device according to claim 9 , wherein:

the network-layer-based first communication connection established with the second network device passes through a fourth network device, wherein the fourth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster; or

the network-layer-based second communication connection established with the third network device passes through a fifth network device, wherein the fifth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster.

11. The first network device according to claim 9 , wherein:

the second registration request message sent by the transceiver to the third network device comprises an address of the second network device to enable, after receiving the second registration request message, the third network device to establish a network-layer-based third communication connection with the second network device according to the address of the second network device for sending the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster to the third network device by the second network device through the network-layer-based third communication connection.

12. The first network device according to claim 9 , wherein:

the transceiver is further configured to: when the first network device detects that the network-layer-based first communication connection to the second network device is interrupted, send a notification message to the third network device for instructing the third network device to upgrade to the active main control device of the first network device.

13. The first network device according to claim 12 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

receive the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is sent by the third network device; and

the processor is further configured to:

update, according to the external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is sent by the third network device, an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is locally stored in the first network device, and

delete an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster that is locally stored and is not updated.

14. A second network device, comprising:

a processor, configured to:

establish a network-layer-based first communication connection with a first network device, and

establish a network-layer-based third communication connection with a third network device;

a transceiver, configured to:

receive a first registration request message that is sent through the network-layer-based first communication connection by the first network device, wherein the first registration request message carries registration information of the first network device, and

receive a third registration request message that is sent through the network-layer-based third communication connection by the third network device;

wherein the processor is further configured to establish a virtual cluster comprising the second network device, the first network device and the third network device according to the first registration request message and the third registration request message, wherein the second network device is used as an active main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster, and the third network device is used as a standby main control device of the first network device in the virtual cluster;

wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

receive a control protocol packet that is sent through the network-layer-based first communication connection by the first network device, wherein the control protocol packet is received by the first network device from a network device outside the virtual cluster;

the processor is further configured to generate an external forwarding table of the virtual cluster according to the control protocol packet; and

the transceiver is further configured to send the forwarding table to the first network device.

15. The second network device according to claim 14 , wherein the network-layer-based first communication connection established with the first network device passes through a fourth network device, wherein the fourth network device does not belong to the virtual cluster.