Abstract: In general, techniques are described for deploying virtualized cell site routers (vCSRs) capable of layer 2 (L2) forwarding to cell site servers to support management and orchestration of functional units for mobile networks executing on the cell site servers. In an example, a method comprises receiving, at a forwarding plane of a virtualized cell site router (vCSR) of a first Distributed Unit (DU) of a plurality of DU servers of a cell site for a 5G radio access network, the vCSR having a containerized routing protocol process and a forwarding plane configured to perform Layer 2 (L2) switching, L2 packets on a second interface for a second physical link connecting the first DU server to an L2 switch; and switching, by the forwarding plane of the vCSR of the first DU, the L2 packets on a first interface for a first physical link connecting the first DU server to a second DU server of the plurality of DU servers.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques for providing a hybrid data plane that can include a kernel-based data plane and a Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK)-based data plane. An example system includes a DPDK-based virtual router configured to send and receive packets via a physical network interface, and a kernel network stack configured to perform tunneling processing for packets destined to a containerized application and received by the DPDK-based virtual router via the physical interface.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for a computing device including a virtual router, a pod comprising a container, and a network plugin. The virtual router includes a virtual router agent. The network plugin includes processing circuitry configured to receive, from the virtual router agent, an indication of an interface type for a virtual network for the pod and to configure, for the pod, a virtual network interface having the interface type, the virtual network interface for communicating on the virtual network.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for a computing device including a virtual router, a pod comprising a container, and a network plugin. The virtual router includes a virtual router agent. The network plugin includes processing circuitry configured to receive, from the virtual router agent, an indication of an interface type for a virtual network for the pod and to configure, for the pod, a virtual network interface having the interface type, the virtual network interface for communicating on the virtual network.

Abstract: Example techniques and computing devices are disclosed. An example computing device includes a first non-uniform memory access (NUMA) node and a second NUMA nod. The first NUMA node includes a first network interface card, a first virtual router for one or more virtual networks, the first virtual router comprising first processing circuitry and configured with a first virtual host interface having a first Internet Protocol (IP) address, and a first workload executing on the first NUMA node. The second NUMA node includes a second network interface card, a second virtual router for the one or more virtual networks, the second virtual router comprising second processing circuitry and configured with a second virtual host interface having a second IP address, and a second workload executing on the second NUMA node.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for deploying a logically-related group of one or more containers (“pod”) that supports the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) to support fast path packet communication on a data channel between a virtual router and the pod. In an example, a computing device comprises a virtual router comprising processing circuitry and configured to implement, in a computing infrastructure that includes the computing device, a virtual network to enable communications among virtual network endpoints connected via the virtual network. The computing devices comprises a pod comprising a containerized application, wherein the virtual router and the pod are configured to create a Unix domain socket using a file system resource that is accessible by the pod and by the virtual router and is not accessible by any other pods deployed to the computing device.

Abstract: In general, this disclosure describes techniques for a containerized router operating within a cloud native orchestration framework. In an example, a virtualized cell site router comprises a computing device configured with a containerized router, the computing device comprising: a containerized virtual router configured to execute on the processing circuitry and configured to implement a data plane for the containerized router; a containerized routing protocol process configured to execute on the processing circuitry and configured to implement a control plane for the containerized router; and a pod comprising a containerized distributed unit, wherein the containerized routing protocol process is configured to advertise routing information comprising reachability information for the containerized distributed unit.

Abstract: In general, techniques are described for a computing device including a virtual router, a pod comprising a container, and a network plugin. The virtual router includes a virtual router agent. The network plugin includes processing circuitry configured to receive, from the virtual router agent, an indication of an interface type for a virtual network for the pod and to configure, for the pod, a virtual network interface having the interface type, the virtual network interface for communicating on the virtual network.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a suitable architecture for a router controller which configures forwarding rules in a packet router of a network visibility system. In an embodiment, the router controller contains multiple controller blocks, with each controller block to examine a corresponding set of packets and to generate a respective set of forwarding rules for configuring the packet router. The router controller may also contain a switch to receive multiple packets and to forward to each controller block the corresponding set of packets. Each controller block may forward the respective set of forwarding rules to the switch, with the switch in turn configuring the packet router with the respective set of forwarding rules.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide a suitable architecture for a router controller which configures forwarding rules in a packet router of a network visibility system. In an embodiment, the router controller contains multiple controller blocks, with each controller block to examine a corresponding set of packets and to generate a respective set of forwarding rules for configuring the packet router. The router controller may also contain a switch to receive multiple packets and to forward to each controller block the corresponding set of packets. Each controller block may forward the respective set of forwarding rules to the switch, with the switch in turn configuring the packet router with the respective set of forwarding rules.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing traffic deduplication in a visibility network are provided. According to one embodiment, a packet broker of the visibility network can receive a control or data packet replicated from a core network. The packet broker can then apply a first stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on one or more interfaces of the core network from which the control or data packet originated, and apply a second stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on the content (e.g., payload) of the control or data packet.

Abstract: Techniques for exchanging control and configuration information in a network visibility system are provided. In one embodiment, a control plane component of the network visibility system can receive one or more first messages from a data plane component of the network visibility system, where the one or more first messages define one or more forwarding resources available on the data plane component. The control plane component can further retrieve configuration information stored on the control plane component that comprises one or more network prefixes to be monitored by the network visibility system, and can determine one or more mappings between the network prefixes and the forwarding resources. Upon determining the one or more mappings, the control plane component can generate one or more packet forwarding rules based on the mappings.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure enable a router controller to maintain a default rules table indicating allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses (of general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) packets) to respective output ports. In an embodiment, the router controller receives information indicating the respective tunnel endpoint IP addresses of a control session and a data session. The router controller is configured to determine whether such IP addresses of the control session and the data session(s) are allocated to the same output port. In response to the IP addresses of the control session and the data session not being allocated to the same output port, the router controller is configured to generate a dynamic rule to forward packets of both the control session and the data session to the same output port.

Abstract: A network visibility system includes a packet router and a router controller. The router controller programs respective forwarding rules in each of a set of load-sharing components of the packet router. Each load-sharing component in the set is designed to forward communication packets according to the respective programmed packet-forwarding rules. The router controller receives, from the packet router, information indicating an update to the availability status of components in the set of components. The router controller updates the respective forwarding rules to reflect the update to the availability status.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing traffic deduplication in a visibility network are provided. According to one embodiment, a packet broker of the visibility network can receive a control or data packet replicated from a core network. The packet broker can then apply a first stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on one or more interfaces of the core network from which the control ot data packet originated, and apply a second stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on the content (e.g., payload) of the control or data packet.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing a software-based packet broker in a visibility network are provided. According to one embodiment, the software-based packet broker can comprise a network device and a cluster of one or more processing nodes. The network device can receive a control or data packet replicated from a core network and forward the control or data packet to the cluster of one or more processing nodes. At least one processing node in the cluster can then execute, in software, one or more packet processing functions on the control or data packet, where the one or more packet processing functions are operable to determine an egress port of the network device through which the control or data packet should be forwarded to a probe/tool of the visibility network for analysis.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure enable a router controller to maintain a default rules table indicating allocation of internet protocol (IP) addresses (of general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) packets) to respective output ports. In an embodiment, the router controller receives information indicating the respective tunnel endpoint IP addresses of a control session and a data session. The router controller is configured to determine whether such IP addresses of the control session and the data session(s) are allocated to the same output port. In response to the IP addresses of the control session and the data session not being allocated to the same output port, the router controller is configured to generate a dynamic rule to forward packets of both the control session and the data session to the same output port.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure enable a router controller to maintain a default rules table indicating allocation of IP addresses (of GTP packets) to respective output ports. In an embodiment, the router controller receives information indicating the respective tunnel endpoint IP addresses of a control session and a data session of a user. The router controller is configured to determine whether such IP addresses of the control session and the data session(s) are allocated to the same output port. If the IP addresses of the control session and the data session are not allocated to the same output port, router controller is configured to generate a dynamic rule to force packets of both the control session and the data session to the same output port.

Abstract: Techniques for implementing traffic deduplication in a visibility network are provided. According to one embodiment, a packet broker of the visibility network can receive a control or data packet replicated from a core network. The packet broker can then apply a first stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on one or more interfaces of the core network from which the control or data packet originated, and apply a second stage deduplication process in which the packet broker attempts to deduplicate the control or data packet based on the content (e.g., payload) of the control or data packet.

Abstract: A network visibility system provided according to an aspect of the present disclosure forms rules for routing of packets to appropriate analytic server, based on IP addresses discovered while processing packets. Due to such discovery and forming of rules based on discovery, manual configuration of the network visibility system can be avoided. In an embodiment, the network visibility system comprises a packet router and a router controller. The router controller receives the examined packets from the packet router and configures the packet router with the formed rules.