Distributed software-defined network
This application relates to a distributed software-defined network (“DSDN”) for dynamically configuring and managing a wireless communication network. A plurality of DSDN nodes are connected to each other via a plurality of communication paths. Each communication path directly connects two DSDN nodes. Each DSDN node can provide DSDN configurations across diverse and disparate networks by normalizing its data plane network traffic through translation and packet encapsulation. Furthermore, the DSDN node can provide an architecture tolerant of network interruptions and network system fluctuations. For example, in the case of any one of the DSDN node's network interruptions from other DSDN nodes, the DSDN can provide network reconfiguration using network configuration rules stored in a control plane of each DSDN node. Therefore, various embodiments can increase network reliability by the multiple nodes within a software-defined network independently managing its control plane in response to changed network conditions.
1. A distributed software-defined network (DSDN) system for communicating data in a DSDN, including a plurality of DSDN nodes, the system comprising:
a DSDN source node configured to:
receive an external dataset, having a data format different from an internet protocol (IP) data format, from one or more external devices, wherein the one or more external devices are communicatively coupled with the DSDN source node via a network outside of the DSDN, and wherein the external dataset comprises a protocol header, a data payload, and a protocol footer;
extract the protocol header from the external dataset, wherein the extracted protocol header comprises DSDN source node information, DSDN destination node information, and other header information;
generate DSDN header information by:
identifying the DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node respectively from the DSDN source node information and the DSDN destination node information in the extracted protocol header; and
duplicating the identified DSDN source node and DSDN destination node; and
generate a standard dataset, having the IP data format, the standard dataset comprising a DSDN IP header field and an original packet field, by;
inserting the DSDN header information in the DSDN IP header field of the standard dataset; and
inserting the other header information of the extracted protocol header, the data payload, and the protocol footer of the external dataset into the original packet field of the standard dataset.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DSDN source node information and DSDN destination node information respectively include address or name associated with the DSDN source node and DSDN destination node.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DSDN source node comprises a plurality of physical interfaces, each physical interface of the plurality of physical interfaces communicatively coupled with one external device of the one or more external devices.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of physical interfaces utilize different data links with each other.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the standard dataset further comprises a DSDN routing data field that includes DSDN routing information, and wherein the DSDN routing information is predefined in a network system layer of the DSDN source node.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the DSDN routing information comprises a plurality sets of routing information, and wherein the DSDN source node is configured to configure a communication path with the DSDN destination node based on the plurality sets of routing information.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the predefined DSDN routing information includes a maximum number of hopping between the DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DSDN source node comprises an application layer, a transport layer, and a data layer.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data format of the external dataset comprises a serial format, a Fibre format, a channel definition format, and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) format.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of DSDN nodes are connected to each other via a plurality of communication paths, wherein each communication path of the plurality of communication paths directly connects two DSDN nodes of the plurality of DSDN nodes, and wherein each DSDN node is configured to function as the DSDN source node or the DSDN destination node.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the DSDN source node is further configured to:
select communication paths between the DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node from the plurality of communication paths;
deactivate unselected communication paths, wherein the unselected communication paths are defined between the DSDN source node and remaining non-DSDN destination nodes of the plurality of DSDN nodes; and
communicate the standard dataset with the DSDN destination node via the selected communication paths.
12. A method of communicating data in a distributed software-defined network (DSDN), including a plurality of DSDN nodes, the method comprising:
receiving, an external dataset, having a data format different from an internet protocol (IP) data format, from one or more external devices, wherein the one or more external devices are communicatively coupled with one DSDN node of the plurality of DSDN nodes via a network outside of the DSDN, and wherein the external dataset comprises a protocol header, a data payload, and a protocol footer;
extracting the protocol header from the external dataset, wherein the extracted protocol header comprises DSDN source node information and DSDN destination node information, and other header information;
generating DSDN header information by:
identifying the DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node from the DSDN source node information and the DSDN destination node information in the extracted protocol header; and
duplicating the identified DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node; and
generating DSDN header information by duplicating the identified DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node in the extracted protocol header; and
generating a standard dataset, having the IP data format, the standard dataset comprising a DSDN IP header field and an original packet field, by;
inserting the DSDN header information in the DSDN IP header field of the standard dataset; and
inserting the other header information of the extracted protocol header, the data payload, and the protocol footer of the external dataset into the original packet field of the standard dataset.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the DSDN source node information and DSDN destination node information include address or name associated with the DSDN source node and DSDN destination node.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein each DSDN node of the plurality of DSDN nodes comprises physical interface, and wherein the physical interface is connected to the network outside of the DSDN.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the standard dataset further comprises a DSDN routing data field that includes DSDN routing information, and wherein the DSDN routing information is predefined in a network system layer of the DSDN source node.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the DSDN routing information comprises a plurality sets of routing information.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the DSDN source node is configured to configure communication path with the DSDN destination node based on the DSDN routing information.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the predefined DSDN routing information includes a maximum numbers of hopping between the DSDN source node and the DSDN destination node.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the data format of the external dataset comprises a serial format, a Fibre format, a channel definition format, and an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) format.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein each DSDN node of the plurality of DSDN nodes comprises an application layer, a transport layer, and a data layer.
21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that cause, when executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors to perform the method of claim 12 .