Multicast packet management for a virtual gateway of a distributed tunnel fabric
A system for multicast packet management in a first switch in an overlay tunnel fabric is provided. The system can operate the first switch as part of a virtual switch in conjunction with a second switch of the fabric. The virtual switch can operate as a gateway for the fabric. During operation, the system can receive a join request for a multicast group. The system can then determine whether to forward the join request to the second switch based on a type of a first ingress connection of the join request. Upon receiving a data packet for the multicast group, the system can determine how to forward the data packet based on respective types of a second ingress connection and an egress connection of the data packet. The type of a respective connection can indicate whether the connection includes an overlay tunnel.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first switch, a join request for a multicast group from a host, wherein the first switch is to operate as part of a virtual switch in conjunction with a second switch, and wherein the virtual switch is to operate as a gateway for an overlay tunnel fabric that includes the first and second switches;
determining, by the first switch, whether to forward the join request to the second switch, which is part of the virtual switch, based on a type of a first ingress connection of the join request;
receiving a data packet for the multicast group at the first switch via a second ingress connection; and
determining whether to forward the data packet to the second switch and whether to forward the data packet to an egress connection to the host based on a type of the second ingress connection and a type of the egress connection, wherein a type of a respective connection indicates whether the connection includes an overlay tunnel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to forward the data packet further comprises determining a forwarding role of the first switch for the virtual switch.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the forwarding role at least indicates that:
the first switch is a primary switch for the virtual switch; or
the first switch has received the data packet.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the first ingress connection corresponds to a tunnel of the fabric;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the join request to the second switch and a source of the multicast group.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the first ingress connection corresponds to an inter-switch link coupling the second switch;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the join request to a source of the multicast group based on the type of the egress connection.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a tunnel of the fabric associated with the host;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the data packet via the tunnel.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a logical layer-3 interface coupling an external switch;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the data packet via the logical layer-3 interface and to the second switch.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the logical layer-3 interface is deployed over a link aggregation coupling an external switch to the first and second switches; and
wherein the forwarding the data packet via the logical layer-3 interface further comprises determining whether the first switch is to forward the data packet for the link aggregation.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a routed port coupling an external switch;
wherein the method further comprises:
forwarding the data packet to the external switch via the routed port; and
forwarding the data packet to the second switch via a dedicated sub-interface to the second switch.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising refraining from forwarding the join request to the second switch.
11. A computer system, comprising:
a processor;
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving, by the computer system, a join request for a multicast group from a host, wherein the computer system is to operate as part of a virtual switch in conjunction with a second computer system, and wherein the virtual switch is to operate as a gateway for an overlay tunnel fabric that includes the computer system and the second computer system;
determining, by the computer system, whether to forward the join request to the second computer system, which is part of the virtual switch, based on a type of a first ingress connection of the join request; and
receiving a data packet for the multicast group at the first switch via a second ingress connection; and
determining whether to forward the data packet to the second computer system and whether to forward the data packet to an egress connection to the host based on a type of the second ingress connection of and a type of the egress connection, wherein a type of a respective connection indicates whether the connection includes an overlay tunnel.
12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein determining whether to forward the data packet further comprises determining a forwarding role of the computer system for the virtual switch.
13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the forwarding role at least indicates that:
the computer system is a primary switch for the virtual switch; or
the computer system has received the data packet.
14. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the type of the first ingress connection corresponds to a tunnel of the fabric;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the join request to the second computer system and a source of the multicast group.
15. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the type of the first ingress connection corresponds to an inter-switch link coupling the second computer system;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the join request to a source of the multicast group based on the type of the egress connection.
16. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a tunnel of the fabric associated with the host;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the data packet via the tunnel.
17. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a logical layer-3 interface coupling an external switch;
wherein the method further comprises forwarding the data packet via the logical layer-3 interface and to the second computer system.
18. The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the logical layer-3 interface is deployed over a link aggregation coupling an external switch to the computer system and the second computer system; and
wherein the forwarding the data packet via the logical layer-3 interface further comprises determining whether the computer system is to forward the data packet for the link aggregation.
19. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the type of the egress connection corresponds to a routed port coupling an external switch;
wherein the method further comprises:
forwarding the data packet to the external switch via the routed port; and
forwarding the data packet to the second computer system via a dedicated sub-interface to the second computer system.
20. The computer system of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises refraining from forwarding the join request to the second computer system.