Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a network infrastructure, the network infrastructure comprising a plurality of network switches in communication with a network controller and a first network server with a network orchestrator running thereon and generating network infrastructure requirements. The information handling system further includes a second network server that has a connection manager running thereon. The connection manager is configured to receive the network infrastructure requirements from the network orchestrator and to convert the specified network infrastructure requirements to instructions suited to the network controller. An associated method for facilitating communication between one or more network orchestrators and network infrastructure is also provided. The information handling system and associated method decouple the network orchestrator from the management of the network infrastructure.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: A method of automatically configuring a data network, the data network including a controller and a virtualization host with a hypervisor installed thereon, the method including creating a virtual switch in the hypervisor and communicatively coupling the virtual switch to a first physical network interface in the virtualization host. Further, the method includes receiving a request to boot an operating system image in a virtual machine in the hypervisor, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. The method also includes creating a first virtual port in the virtual switch based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image and creating a first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine in the hypervisor. Further, the method includes communicatively coupling the first virtual network adapter to the first virtual port in the virtual switch and configuring networking attributes of the first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: A method of automatically configuring a data network, the data network including a controller and a virtualization host with a hypervisor installed thereon, the method including creating a virtual switch in the hypervisor and communicatively coupling the virtual switch to a first physical network interface in the virtualization host. Further, the method includes receiving a request to boot an operating system image in a virtual machine in the hypervisor, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. The method also includes creating a first virtual port in the virtual switch based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image and creating a first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine in the hypervisor. Further, the method includes communicatively coupling the first virtual network adapter to the first virtual port in the virtual switch and configuring networking attributes of the first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method of automatically configuring a data network, the data network including a controller and a virtualization host with a hypervisor installed thereon, the method including creating a virtual switch in the hypervisor and communicatively coupling the virtual switch to a first physical network interface in the virtualization host. Further, the method includes receiving a request to boot an operating system image in a virtual machine in the hypervisor, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. The method also includes creating a first virtual port in the virtual switch based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image and creating a first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine in the hypervisor. Further, the method includes communicatively coupling the first virtual network adapter to the first virtual port in the virtual switch and configuring networking attributes of the first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: An information handling system is provided. The information handling system includes a network infrastructure, the network infrastructure comprising a plurality of network switches in communication with a network controller and a first network server with a network orchestrator running thereon and generating network infrastructure requirements. The information handling system further includes a second network server that has a connection manager running thereon. The connection manager is configured to receive the network infrastructure requirements from the network orchestrator and to convert the specified network infrastructure requirements to instructions suited to the network controller. An associated method for facilitating communication between one or more network orchestrators and network infrastructure is also provided. The information handling system and associated method decouple the network orchestrator from the management of the network infrastructure.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: A method of configuring a data network with a controller, the data network including a plurality of hosts each associated with at least one of a plurality of switches, the method including receiving a request to boot an operating system image on one of the plurality of hosts, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. Further, the method includes selecting a host out of the plurality of hosts on which to boot the operating system image. The method also includes booting the operating system image on the host, and configuring a switch out of the plurality of switches associated with the host based upon the network connectively requirements of the operating system image. Additionally, the method includes configuring networking attributes of a network interface in the host based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image.

Abstract: A method of automatically configuring a data network, the data network including a controller and a virtualization host with a hypervisor installed thereon, the method including creating a virtual switch in the hypervisor and communicatively coupling the virtual switch to a first physical network interface in the virtualization host. Further, the method includes receiving a request to boot an operating system image in a virtual machine in the hypervisor, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. The method also includes creating a first virtual port in the virtual switch based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image and creating a first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine in the hypervisor. Further, the method includes communicatively coupling the first virtual network adapter to the first virtual port in the virtual switch and configuring networking attributes of the first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining paths for flows within a multi-stage network made up of clusters of processing nodes. The flow paths may be determined without knowledge of whether or not packets of a particular flow will actually traverse specific ones of the clusters within the multi-stage network. In various implementations, the nodes of the multi-stage network may be coupled to one or more physical network switches through respective physical interfaces and a virtual connectivity grid superimposed thereon and configured through the use of a flow routing framework and system management framework to group the nodes into a number of clusters. The nodes of each cluster are configured to perform similar packet processing functions and the clusters are interconnected through virtual networks to which the nodes are communicatively coupled via virtual interfaces overlaid on top of the physical network interfaces.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining paths for flows within a multi-stage network made up of clusters of processing nodes. The flow paths may be determined without knowledge of whether or not packets of a particular flow will actually traverse specific ones of the clusters within the multi-stage network. In various implementations, the nodes of the multi-stage network may be coupled to one or more physical network switches through respective physical interfaces and a virtual connectivity grid superimposed thereon and configured through the use of a flow routing framework and system management framework to group the nodes into a number of clusters. The nodes of each cluster are configured to perform similar packet processing functions and the clusters are interconnected through virtual networks to which the nodes are communicatively coupled via virtual interfaces overlaid on top of the physical network interfaces.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other components) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining paths for flows within a multi-stage network made up of clusters of processing nodes. The flow paths may be determined without knowledge of whether or not packets of a particular flow will actually traverse specific ones of the clusters within the multi-stage network. In various implementations, the nodes of the multi-stage network may be coupled to one or more physical network switches through respective physical interfaces and a virtual connectivity grid superimposed thereon and configured through the use of a flow routing framework and system management framework to group the nodes into a number of clusters. The nodes of each cluster are configured to perform similar packet processing functions and the clusters are interconnected through virtual networks to which the nodes are communicatively coupled via virtual interfaces overlaid on top of the physical network interfaces.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention includes a method of managing network communications in a network device. The network device includes software components and modules. Some of the components control the interaction between modules, while other components perform specific functions for associated modules. A module manager component controls the creation and destruction of modules as well as their interactions. A communications manager component manages network communications in the network device. The network communications is supported by creating a number of modules that are associated with components that implement different parts of a network protocol. As a result of the use of the modules, a component need not know which other component(s) it depends upon, nor need it know which other component(s) depend upon it. This allows components to be used together very easily in many different configurations. The modules also allow the same component to be used by multiple modules.