Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller, such as a software defined networking (SDN) controller, constructs a service chain that includes a physical network function (PNF) between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, or vice-versa. In accordance with the techniques disclosed herein, the controller may construct an inter-network service chain that includes PNFs, or a combination of PNFs and virtualized network functions (VNFs). The controller may construct an inter-network service chain to steer traffic between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS through an inter-network service chain using Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) as an underlying transport technology through the service chain.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by SDN controller, an underlay routing table having routes for an underlay network of a data center and an overlay routing table having a set of routes for a virtual network of an overlay network for the data center, wherein the underlay network includes physical network switches, gateway routers, and a set of virtual routers executing on respective compute nodes of the data center; installing, within the underlay routing table, a route to a destination address assigned to a particular one of the virtual routers as an indicator of a reachability status to the particular virtual router in the underlay network. The SDN controller controls, based on presence or absence of the route within the underlay routing table, advertisement of the routes for the virtual network of the overlay network.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller constructs a service chain between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, across a plurality of networks. In some examples, the controller may construct a service chain between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS using Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN)-Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) and Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IP VPNs) such as BGP/Multiprotocol Label Switching (BGP/MPLS) IP VPNs.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller constructs a service chain between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, across a plurality of networks. In some examples, the controller may construct a service chain between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS using Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN)-Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) and Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IP VPNs) such as BGP/Multiprotocol Label Switching (BGP/MPLS) IP VPNs.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller constructs a service chain between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, across a plurality of networks. In some examples, the controller may construct a service chain between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS using Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN)-Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) and Internet Protocol Virtual Private Networks (IP VPNs) such as BGP/Multiprotocol Label Switching (BGP/MPLS) IP VPNs.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller, such as a software defined networking (SDN) controller, constructs a service chain that includes a physical network function (PNF) between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, or vice-versa. In accordance with the techniques disclosed herein, the controller may construct an inter-network service chain that includes PNFs, or a combination of PNFs and virtualized network functions (VNFs). The controller may construct an inter-network service chain to steer traffic between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS through an inter-network service chain using Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) as an underlying transport technology through the service chain.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by SDN controller, an underlay routing table having routes for an underlay network of a data center and an overlay routing table having a set of routes for a virtual network of an overlay network for the data center, wherein the underlay network includes physical network switches, gateway routers, and a set of virtual routers executing on respective compute nodes of the data center; installing, within the underlay routing table, a route to a destination address assigned to a particular one of the virtual routers as an indicator of a reachability status to the particular virtual router in the underlay network. The SDN controller controls, based on presence or absence of the route within the underlay routing table, advertisement of the routes for the virtual network of the overlay network.

Abstract: A software defined networking (SDN) controller is configured to receive, from a Top-Of-Rack (TOR) switch, a first multicast route and a second multicast route. In response to determining that the first multicast route is an assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to add a first nexthop specified by the first multicast route to a list of nexthops for Broadcast, Unknown-Unicast, and Multicast (BUM) traffic. In response to determining that the second multicast route is not the assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to refrain from adding a second nexthop specified by the second multicast route to the list of nexthops. After adding the first nexthop, the SDN controller is configured to provision the list of nexthops at a virtual router.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller, such as a software defined networking (SDN) controller, constructs a service chain that includes a physical network function (PNF) between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, or vice-versa. In accordance with the techniques disclosed herein, the controller may construct an inter-network service chain that includes PNFs, or a combination of PNFs and virtualized network functions (VNFs). The controller may construct an inter-network service chain to steer traffic between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS through an inter-network service chain using Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) as an underlying transport technology through the service chain.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by SDN controller, an underlay routing table having routes for an underlay network of a data center and an overlay routing table having a set of routes for a virtual network of an overlay network for the data center, wherein the underlay network includes physical network switches, gateway routers, and a set of virtual routers executing on respective compute nodes of the data center; installing, within the underlay routing table, a route to a destination address assigned to a particular one of the virtual routers as an indicator of a reachability status to the particular virtual router in the underlay network. The SDN controller controls, based on presence or absence of the route within the underlay routing table, advertisement of the routes for the virtual network of the overlay network.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by a virtual router agent of a compute node managed by a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, a forwarding information data structure with a shared liveness vector orthogonal to the forwarding path to indicate a liveness state of a plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops, wherein the shared liveness vector is shared by each of a plurality of members for a plurality of composite next hops that share a common list of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops; and in response to determining, by the virtual router agent, that the orthogonal liveness vector indicates that each of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops are reachable, distributing network traffic to one or more of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops.

Abstract: A software defined networking (SDN) controller is configured to receive, from a Top-Of-Rack (TOR) switch, a first multicast route and a second multicast route. In response to determining that the first multicast route is an assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to add a first nexthop specified by the first multicast route to a list of nexthops for Broadcast, Unknown-Unicast, and Multicast (BUM) traffic. In response to determining that the second multicast route is not the assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to refrain from adding a second nexthop specified by the second multicast route to the list of nexthops. After adding the first nexthop, the SDN controller is configured to provision the list of nexthops at a virtual router.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller with real-time or near-real time visibility of the operation of data center fabrics to determine whether the DCI was properly configured. For example, an SDN controller receives high-level configuration data that describes a desired state of a network managed by the SDN controller at a high level of abstraction. The SDN controller applies a transformation function to the high-level configuration data to generate a low-level configuration data for network devices configured to implement the desired state of the network. SDN controller configures the SDN controller as a peer to the network devices to obtain one or more routes exchanged between the network devices. The SDN controller sends the low-level configuration data to the network devices to cause the network devices to implement the desired state of the network.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller, such as a software defined networking (SDN) controller, constructs a service chain that includes a physical network function (PNF) between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, or vice-versa. In accordance with the techniques disclosed herein, the controller may construct an inter-network service chain that includes PNFs, or a combination of PNFs and virtualized network functions (VNFs). The controller may construct an inter-network service chain to steer traffic between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS through an inter-network service chain using Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) as an underlying transport technology through the service chain.

Abstract: Techniques for avoiding single points of failure in routing components of an SDN are disclosed. In some aspects, control nodes that provide routing management services are assigned zone identifiers. The control nodes having one zone identifier can be on separate processes and/or physical hardware from control nodes having a different zone identifier. Workloads, such as virtual machines or containers, can establish routing sessions such as Border Gateway Protocol as a Service (BGPaaS) routing sessions using different zone identifiers to ensure that separate control nodes provide routing management services for the primary and secondary compute nodes associated with a high availability service. These techniques in this way facilitate high availability by ensuring that a control node is not a single point of failure for the high availability service provided by the primary and secondary compute nodes.

Abstract: A software defined networking (SDN) controller is configured to receive, from a Top-Of-Rack (TOR) switch, a first multicast route and a second multicast route. In response to determining that the first multicast route is an assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to add a first nexthop specified by the first multicast route to a list of nexthops for Broadcast, Unknown-Unicast, and Multicast (BUM) traffic. In response to determining that the second multicast route is not the assisted replication route, the SDN controller is configured to refrain from adding a second nexthop specified by the second multicast route to the list of nexthops. After adding the first nexthop, the SDN controller is configured to provision the list of nexthops at a virtual router.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by a virtual router agent of a compute node managed by a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, a forwarding information data structure with a shared liveness vector orthogonal to the forwarding path to indicate a liveness state of a plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops, wherein the shared liveness vector is shared by each of a plurality of members for a plurality of composite next hops that share a common list of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops; and in response to determining, by the virtual router agent, that the orthogonal liveness vector indicates that each of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops are reachable, distributing network traffic to one or more of the plurality of overlay network tunnel endpoint next hops.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques for improving speed of network convergence after node failure. In one example, a method includes storing, by SDN controller, an underlay routing table having routes for an underlay network of a data center and an overlay routing table having a set of routes for a virtual network of an overlay network for the data center, wherein the underlay network includes physical network switches, gateway routers, and a set of virtual routers executing on respective compute nodes of the data center; installing, within the underlay routing table, a route to a destination address assigned to a particular one of the virtual routers as an indicator of a reachability status to the particular virtual router in the underlay network. The SDN controller controls, based on presence or absence of the route within the underlay routing table, advertisement of the routes for the virtual network of the overlay network.

Abstract: Techniques are described in which a centralized controller, such as a software defined networking (SDN) controller, constructs a service chain that includes a physical network function (PNF) between a bare metal server (BMS) and a virtual execution element (e.g., virtual machine or container), or in some instances a remote BMS, or vice-versa. In accordance with the techniques disclosed herein, the controller may construct an inter-network service chain that includes PNFs, or a combination of PNFs and virtualized network functions (VNFs). The controller may construct an inter-network service chain to steer traffic between a BMS and a virtual execution element or remote BMS through an inter-network service chain using Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) as an underlying transport technology through the service chain.

Abstract: Techniques for avoiding single points of failure in routing components of an SDN are disclosed. In some aspects, control nodes that provide routing management services are assigned zone identifiers. The control nodes having one zone identifier can be on separate processes and/or physical hardware from control nodes having a different zone identifier. Workloads, such as virtual machines or containers, can establish routing sessions such as Border Gateway Protocol as a Service (BGPaaS) routing sessions using different zone identifiers to ensure that separate control nodes provide routing management services for the primary and secondary compute nodes associated with a high availability service. These techniques in this way facilitate high availability by ensuring that a control node is not a single point of failure for the high availability service provided by the primary and secondary compute nodes.