DISCOVERY AND ADMISSION CONTROL OF FORWARDING BOXES IN A SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORK

摘要

A controller, in a software-defined networking control layer, may determine auto-discovery parameters and may use the auto-discovery parameters to identify a first set of forwarding boxes within a network. The controller may identify a second set of forwarding boxes within the network that communicate with or are otherwise coupled to the first set of forwarding boxes. The controller may forward requests to the first and second sets of forwarding boxes to control traffic exchanged via the first and second sets of forwarding box. A third set of forwarding boxes located outside the network may request admissions into the software defined network, and requests from the third set of forwarding boxes may be forwarded to the controller via the first or second sets of forwarding boxes. The controller may authenticate the second and the third sets of forwarding boxes based on their relationship to the first set of forwarding boxes.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
determining, by a processor included in a first controller associated with a network, data identifying a discovery parameter; identifying, by the processor, a first forwarding box using the discovery parameter, wherein the first forwarding box is included in the network; forwarding, by the processor and based on identifying the first forwarding box using the discovery parameter, first routing data to the first forwarding box to include the first forwarding box in a software-defined network; receiving, by the processor, information identifying a second forwarding box, wherein the second forwarding box is not included in the network, and wherein the information identifying the second forwarding box is received via the first forwarding box; determining, by the processor and based on receiving the information via the first forwarding box, that the first controller is authorized to control the second forwarding box; and forwarding, by the processor and based on determining that the first controller is authorized to control the second forwarding box, second routing data to the second forwarding box to cause the second forwarding box to be included in the software-defined network.