Abstract: Network access node virtual fabrics configured dynamically over an underlay network are described. A centralized controller, such as a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, of a packet switched network is configured to establish one or more virtual fabrics as overlay networks on top of the physical underlay network of the packet switched network. For example, the SDN controller may define multiple sets of two of more access nodes connected to the packet switched network, and the access nodes of a given one of the sets may use a new data transmission protocol, referred to generally herein as a fabric control protocol (FCP), to dynamically setup tunnels as a virtual fabric over the packet switched network. The FCP tunnels may include all or a subset of the parallel data paths through the packet switched network between the access nodes for a given virtual fabric.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) and packet forwarding mechanisms are described that maximize utilization of bandwidth within massive, large-scale data centers having multi-stage data center switch fabric topologies, such as topologies that include a third switching layer formed by super spine switches. Automatic generation of data plane forwarding information referred to as FCP path information enumerates, for each data processing unit (DPU), the available FCP paths. The FCP path information may be based on unique combinations of peak points of the switch fabric for a given DPU with FCP colors assigned to network links that are used to multi-home the DPU to the switch fabric.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) is a data transmission protocol that enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across a data center from an ingress interface of the source data processing unit (DPU) across a plurality of parallel data paths of a logical tunnel in the network fabric to the egress interface of the destination DPU. The FCP has congestion control mechanisms used to determine a degree of congestion at the egress interface of the destination DPU and to modify a send window size at the source DPU based on the degree of congestion. Reliable FCP (rFCP) extensions provide reliability enhancements and improved failure resilience within the data center. The rFCP extensions provide an unsolicited mode for low latency operation with enhanced reliability mechanisms. The rFCP extensions provide failure resilience mechanisms to identify and avoid failed paths among multiple parallel data paths within the logical tunnel.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) is a data transmission protocol that enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across a data center from an ingress interface of the source data processing unit (DPU) across a plurality of parallel data paths of a logical tunnel in the network fabric to the egress interface of the destination DPU. The FCP has congestion control mechanisms used to determine a degree of congestion at the egress interface of the destination DPU and to modify a send window size at the source DPU based on the degree of congestion. Reliable FCP (rFCP) extensions provide reliability enhancements and improved failure resilience within the data center. The rFCP extensions provide an unsolicited mode for low latency operation with enhanced reliability mechanisms. The rFCP extensions provide failure resilience mechanisms to identify and avoid failed paths among multiple parallel data paths within the logical tunnel.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol (FCP) is a data transmission protocol that enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across a data center from an ingress interface of the source data processing unit (DPU) across a plurality of parallel data paths of a logical tunnel in the network fabric to the egress interface of the destination DPU. The FCP has congestion control mechanisms used to determine a degree of congestion at the egress interface of the destination DPU and to modify a send window size at the source DPU based on the degree of congestion. Reliable FCP (rFCP) extensions provide reliability enhancements and improved failure resilience within the data center. The rFCP extensions provide an unsolicited mode for low latency operation with enhanced reliability mechanisms. The rFCP extensions provide failure resilience mechanisms to identify and avoid failed paths among multiple parallel data paths within the logical tunnel.

Abstract: Network access node virtual fabrics configured dynamically over an underlay network are described. A centralized controller, such as a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, of a packet switched network is configured to establish one or more virtual fabrics as overlay networks on top of the physical underlay network of the packet switched network. For example, the SDN controller may define multiple sets of two of more access nodes connected to the packet switched network, and the access nodes of a given one of the sets may use a new data transmission protocol, referred to generally herein as a fabric control protocol (FCP), to dynamically setup tunnels as a virtual fabric over the packet switched network. The FCP tunnels may include all or a subset of the parallel data paths through the packet switched network between the access nodes for a given virtual fabric.

Abstract: Network access node virtual fabrics configured dynamically over an underlay network are described. A centralized controller, such as a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, of a packet switched network is configured to establish one or more virtual fabrics as overlay networks on top of the physical underlay network of the packet switched network. For example, the SDN controller may define multiple sets of two of more access nodes connected to the packet switched network, and the access nodes of a given one of the sets may use a new data transmission protocol, referred to generally herein as a fabric control protocol (FCP), to dynamically setup tunnels as a virtual fabric over the packet switched network. The FCP tunnels may include all or a subset of the parallel data paths through the packet switched network between the access nodes for a given virtual fabric.

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: A fabric control protocol is described for use within a data center in which a switch fabric provides full mesh interconnectivity such that any of the servers may communicate packet data for a given packet flow to any other of the servers using any of a number of parallel data paths within the data center switch fabric. The fabric control protocol enables spraying of individual packets for a given packet flow across some or all of the multiple parallel data paths in the data center switch fabric and, optionally, reordering of the packets for delivery to the destination. The fabric control protocol may provide end-to-end bandwidth scaling and flow fairness within a single tunnel based on endpoint-controlled requests and grants for flows. In some examples, the fabric control protocol packet structure is carried over an underlying protocol, such as the User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

Abstract: Network access node virtual fabrics configured dynamically over an underlay network are described. A centralized controller, such as a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, of a packet switched network is configured to establish one or more virtual fabrics as overlay networks on top of the physical underlay network of the packet switched network. For example, the SDN controller may define multiple sets of two of more access nodes connected to the packet switched network, and the access nodes of a given one of the sets may use a new data transmission protocol, referred to generally herein as a fabric control protocol (FCP), to dynamically setup tunnels as a virtual fabric over the packet switched network. The FCP tunnels may include all or a subset of the parallel data paths through the packet switched network between the access nodes for a given virtual fabric.