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 disclosed for seamless integration between a multicasting Virtual Private Network and an edge replicated multicast network. For example, a controller (e.g., software defined networking (SDN) controller) may facilitate the integration between a multicasting VPN network and an edge replicated multicast network through the selection of a multicast bridge node from virtual routers specified in the multicast replication tree, and sending information identifying the multicast bridge node to a provider edge (PE) device for the source VPN such that the PE device may use the information to steer multicast traffic from the source VPN site across the Layer 3 VPN network to the multicast bridge node of the receiver VPN site. When the multicast bridge node receives the multicast traffic, the multicast bridge node determines from the information that it is to receive the multicast traffic and to perform the edge replicated multicast using the edge replicated multicast tree.

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 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 disclosed for configuring multiple network devices implementing different protocols or techniques. For example, these techniques allow network devices configured with different protocols to co-exist within the same network, or for the network to seamlessly evolve from one protocol to the other. Techniques described herein provide for an SDN controller that may bridge a network system implementing different protocols, e.g., Open vSwitch Database (OVSDB) and Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN), by translating high-level configuration data (e.g., desired state of the network at a high level of abstraction) that are protocol agnostic to low-level configuration data (e.g., desired state of the network at a low level of abstraction) that are protocol specific. That is, SDN controller may provide management, control, and analytics functions of a virtualized network configured to operate specifically within an OVSDB environment and/or an EVPN environment.

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 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: 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: In one example, a method includes by a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, receiving one or more virtual routes to virtual interfaces from a first virtual router agent managed by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes received via a messaging protocol session between the SDN controller and the first virtual router agent; storing, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes to a data structure; in response to determining the messaging protocol session has closed, marking, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes in the data structure as stale without deleting the one or more virtual routes from the data structure and without withdrawing the virtual routes from routing protocol peers of the SDN controller; and subsequent to marking the one or more virtual routes as stale, sending, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes to a second virtual router agent.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for extending scalable policy management to supporting network devices. A network device comprising a memory and a processor may perform various aspects of the techniques. The memory may be configured to store a policy. The processor may be configured to obtain the policy to be enforced by a supporting network device coupled to a server, and identify a port of the supporting network device to which the server is coupled via the switch fabric. The policy controller may also identify a workload executed by the server to which the policy is associated, and convert the policy into configuration data supported by the network device. The policy controller may further configure, based on the configuration data, the network device to enforce the policy with respect to network traffic received via the identified port.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing an inter-autonomous system (inter-AS) service between virtualized entities of one autonomous system with external entities of a different autonomous system. For example, a controller (e.g., software defined networking (SDN) controller) may provide multi-hop exterior Border Gateway Protocol (eBGP) redistribution of virtual private networking (VPN) labels between endpoints of different autonomous systems, otherwise referred to as “inter-AS option C.” As described in this disclosure, the SDN controller may facilitate the exchange of appropriate routing labels between endpoints of different autonomous systems to enable forwarding of traffic between the different autonomous systems.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for configuring multiple network devices implementing different protocols or techniques. For example, these techniques allow network devices configured with different protocols to co-exist within the same network, or for the network to seamlessly evolve from one protocol to the other. Techniques described herein provide for an SDN controller that may bridge a network system implementing different protocols, e.g., Open vSwitch Database (OVSDB) and Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN), by translating high-level configuration data (e.g., desired state of the network at a high level of abstraction) that are protocol agnostic to low-level configuration data (e.g., desired state of the network at a low level of abstraction) that are protocol specific. That is, SDN controller may provide management, control, and analytics functions of a virtualized network configured to operate specifically within an OVSDB environment and/or an EVPN environment.

Abstract: In one example, a method includes by a Software Defined Networking (SDN) controller, receiving one or more virtual routes to virtual interfaces from a first virtual router agent managed by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes received via a messaging protocol session between the SDN controller and the first virtual router agent; storing, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes to a data structure; in response to determining the messaging protocol session has closed, marking, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes in the data structure as stale without deleting the one or more virtual routes from the data structure and without withdrawing the virtual routes from routing protocol peers of the SDN controller; and subsequent to marking the one or more virtual routes as stale, sending, by the SDN controller, the one or more virtual routes to a second virtual router agent.