Controller Driven Reconfiguration of a Multi-Layered Application or Service Model

摘要

Some embodiments provide novel inline switches that distribute data messages from source compute nodes (SCNs) to different groups of destination service compute nodes (DSCNs). In some embodiments, the inline switches are deployed in the source compute nodes datapaths (e.g., egress datapath). The inline switches in some embodiments are service switches that (1) receive data messages from the SCNs, (2) identify service nodes in a service-node cluster for processing the data messages based on service policies that the switches implement, and (3) use tunnels to send the received data messages to their identified service nodes. Alternatively, or conjunctively, the inline service switches of some embodiments (1) identify service-nodes cluster for processing the data messages based on service policies that the switches implement, and (2) use tunnels to send the received data messages to the identified service-node clusters. The service-node clusters can perform the same service or can perform different services in some embodiments. This tunnel-based approach for distributing data messages to service nodes/clusters is advantageous for seamlessly implementing in a datacenter a cloud-based XaaS model (where XaaS stands for X as a service, and X stands for anything), in which any number of services are provided by service providers in the cloud.

主权项

1. A method of reconfiguring a multi-layer server deployment model in a datacenter comprising a plurality of host computers executing a plurality of servers, the method comprising:
providing a first set of distribution actions with a flow identifier to the particular host computer, said host computer using the first set of distribution actions and the flow identifier to configure a filter that (i) executes on the host computer, (ii) intercepts data messages sent by a first server executing on the host computer, and (iii) directs intercepted data messages to a first set of servers identified by the first set of distribution actions when the data messages have a set header values that match the flow identifier; receiving a modification to the set of distribution actions; providing a modified second set of distribution actions with the flow identifier to the particular host to reconfigure the filter to distribute data messages that match the flow identifier to a second set of servers instead of the first set of servers.