Abstract: After receiving a packet, a programmable forwarding device determines whether a flow entry matching the packet exists in a local flow table of the programmable forwarding device. If the flow entry does not exist, the programmable forwarding device sends the packet to a computing device. After receiving the packet, a programmable network adapter in the computing device determines whether a flow entry matching the packet exists in a local flow table of the programmable network adapter. If the flow entry does not exist, the programmable network adapter sends the packet to a processor in the computing device, so that a gateway running on the processor processes the packet.

Abstract: A software-defined data center, and a deployment method for a service cluster are described therein. An SDN controller manages a cluster by using a shared IP address. The SDN controller obtains an online virtual machine event that is sent by an edge switch accessed by a new online virtual machine; obtains a MAC address of the new online virtual machine, and identifies the new online virtual machine; then identifies whether an IP address of the new online virtual machine is a shared IP address; and if the IP address of the new online virtual machine is the shared IP address, deploys the new online virtual machine to a service cluster corresponding to the shared IP address. The SDN controller automatically completes creation, capacity expansion of the service cluster, so that no manual intervention from a tenant is required, and tenant experience is good.

Abstract: A network, including a first switch, a second switch, and a controller, where a management port of the first switch is coupled to a first forwarding port of the first switch, and a third forwarding port of the first switch is coupled to a fourth forwarding port of the second switch. In a boot phase of the network, the first switch communicates with a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server using a preset flow table, and obtains an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first switch. The controller learns a connection relationship between forwarding ports of the first switch and the second switch using a probe packet and a probe flow table in order to control the first switch and the second switch.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a networking method for a data center network and a data center network, where the data center network includes multiple deployment units; each deployment unit includes at least two Spine switches and at least one Leaf Switch; each Leaf switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least two Spine switches of all Spine switches inside the deployment unit; and between at least two deployment units, at least one Spine switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least one Spine switch inside each of other deployment units. A connection relationship between Spine switches in deployment units is set up, so that in a condition of adding no network device, communication between different deployment units can be implemented, which decreases network complexity, and increases the network management and maintenance efficiency.

Abstract: A packet processing method, including receiving a first packet from a first switch, where the first packet belongs to a service flow that flows from a first device to a second device, determining a service chain through which the service flow passes, determining a forwarding path of the service flow according to the service chain through which the service flow passes, modifying the first packet to obtain a second packet, where the second packet belongs to the service flow, and a valid payload of the second packet includes a valid payload of the first packet and forwarding path indication information, generating a first flow table according to the forwarding path of the service flow, controlling a communications interface to send the first flow table to the first switch, and sending the second packet to the first switch.

Abstract: This application discloses a network, including a first switch, a second switch, and a controller. A management port of the first switch is connected to a first forwarding port of the first switch, and a third forwarding port of the first switch is connected to a fourth forwarding port of the second switch. In a boot phase of the network, the first switch communicates with a DHCP server by using a preset flow table, and obtains an IP address of the first switch. Then, the controller learns a connection relationship between forwarding ports of the first switch and the second switch by using a probe packet and a probe flow table, so as to control the first switch and the second switch.

Abstract: This application provides a packet transmission method, an apparatus, and a system in an overlay network. Network address translation and reverse network address translation are implemented at a demarcation point: an IP tunnel end point, between the logical network and the physical network, an IP option is expanded to carry a source-end network element identifier and a destination-end network element identifier, and a virtual machine in an upper-layer logical network is interconnected with a peer-end virtual machine through a lower-layer physical network by using an IP tunnel.

Abstract: A software-defined data center (SDDC) and a service cluster scheduling and traffic monitoring method therefor. A software defined networking (SDN) controller implements a scheduling and decision function of load balancing. As a load balancer, the SDN controller follows a serving node load balancing principle, and customizes a packet forwarding flow table to instruct an edge switch to direct user traffic to a specified serving node. The SDN controller may monitor load of a serving node in a service cluster, execute a load balancing function of the load balancer according to a load monitoring result, and select a target virtual machine. Using the SDN controller as a load balancer, a dynamic expansion capability of the SDN may be multiplexed at a control layer, and a network resource of the SDN network may be multiplexed at a network forwarding layer. Implementation complexity is low, and investment costs are low.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a networking method for a data center network and a data center network, where the data center network includes multiple deployment units; each deployment unit includes at least two Spine switches and at least one Leaf Switch; each Leaf switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least two Spine switches of all Spine switches inside the deployment unit; and between at least two deployment units, at least one Spine switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least one Spine switch inside each of other deployment units. A connection relationship between Spine switches in deployment units is set up, so that in a condition of adding no network device, communication between different deployment units can be implemented, which decreases network complexity, and increases the network management and maintenance efficiency.

Abstract: A packet processing method, including receiving a first packet from a first switch, where the first packet belongs to a service flow that flows from a first device to a second device, determining a service chain through which the service flow passes, determining a forwarding path of the service flow according to the service chain through which the service flow passes, modifying the first packet to obtain a second packet, where the second packet belongs to the service flow, and a valid payload of the second packet includes a valid payload of the first packet and forwarding path indication information, generating a first flow table according to the forwarding path of the service flow, controlling a communications interface to send the first flow table to the first switch, and sending the second packet to the first switch.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a networking method for a data center network and a data center network, where the data center network includes multiple deployment units; each deployment unit includes at least two Spine switches and at least one Leaf Switch; each Leaf switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least two Spine switches of all Spine switches inside the deployment unit; and between at least two deployment units, at least one Spine switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least one Spine switch inside each of other deployment units. A connection relationship between Spine switches in deployment units is set up, so that in a condition of adding no network device, communication between different deployment units can be implemented, which decreases network complexity, and increases the network management and maintenance efficiency.

Abstract: Data forwarding method, device, and system are provided for software-defined networking. An SDN control device delivers a proactive flow entry according to network topology information, where the proactive flow entry is unrelated to a service, and instead related to the network topology information. The proactive flow entry may be reused during data forwarding. After data is received, the SDN control device delivers reactive flow entries to some switching devices, where the reactive flow entries are related to the service, but are delivered to a subset of switching devices. This reduces flow entries delivered by the SDN control device to some switching devices, so that occupation of resources of the SDN control device and a switching device by flow entries is reduced.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a software-defined data center, and a deployment method for a service cluster therein. An SDN controller manages a cluster by using a shared IP address. The SDN controller obtains an online virtual machine event that is sent by an edge switch accessed by a new online virtual machine; obtains a MAC address of the new online virtual machine, and identifies the new online virtual machine; then identifies whether an IP address of the new online virtual machine is a shared IP address; and if the IP address of the new online virtual machine is the shared IP address, deploys the new online virtual machine to a service cluster corresponding to the shared IP address. The SDN controller automatically completes creation, capacity expansion of the service cluster, so that no manual intervention from a tenant is required, and tenant experience is good.

Abstract: This application provides a packet transmission method, an apparatus, and a system in an overlay network. Network address translation and reverse network address translation are implemented at a demarcation point: an IP tunnel end point, between the logical network and the physical network, an IP option is expanded to carry a source-end network element identifier and a destination-end network element identifier, and a virtual machine in an upper-layer logical network is interconnected with a peer-end virtual machine through a lower-layer physical network by using an IP tunnel.

Abstract: A software-defined data center (SDDC) and a service cluster scheduling and traffic monitoring method therefor. A software defined networking (SDN) controller implements a scheduling and decision function of load balancing. As a load balancer, the SDN controller follows a serving node load balancing principle, and customizes a packet forwarding flow table to instruct an edge switch to direct user traffic to a specified serving node. The SDN controller may monitor load of a serving node in a service cluster, execute a load balancing function of the load balancer according to a load monitoring result, and select a target virtual machine. Using the SDN controller as a load balancer, a dynamic expansion capability of the SDN may be multiplexed at a control layer, and a network resource of the SDN network may be multiplexed at a network forwarding layer. Implementation complexity is low, and investment costs are low.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a networking method for a data center network and a data center network, where the data center network includes multiple deployment units; each deployment unit includes at least two Spine switches and at least one Leaf Switch; each Leaf switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least two Spine switches of all Spine switches inside the deployment unit; and between at least two deployment units, at least one Spine switch inside each deployment unit is connected to at least one Spine switch inside each of other deployment units. A connection relationship between Spine switches in deployment units is set up, so that in a condition of adding no network device, communication between different deployment units can be implemented, which decreases network complexity, and increases the network management and maintenance efficiency.

Abstract: Data forwarding method, device, and system are provided for software-defined networking. An SDN control device delivers a proactive flow entry according to network topology information, where the proactive flow entry is unrelated to a service, and instead related to the network topology information. The proactive flow entry may be reused during data forwarding. After data is received, the SDN control device delivers reactive flow entries to some switching devices, where the reactive flow entries are related to the service, but are delivered to a subset of switching devices. This reduces flow entries delivered by the SDN control device to some switching devices, so that occupation of resources of the SDN control device and a switching device by flow entries is reduced.