NETWORK ELEMENT OF A SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORK

摘要

A network element of a software-defined network includes functional entities (321-325) capable of transferring data between each other and providing connections to other network elements. One or more of the functional entities are configurable with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network. The network element is adapted to transmit, to the controller, entity-specific capability descriptors related to the functional entities configurable with the configuration data. Each entity-specific capability descriptor expresses operations capable of being carried out by the respective functional entity. As the controller is made aware of the capabilities of the functional entities, the goal of the software-defined networking to provide controlled management of the data-forwarding functionality of a network element as a whole can be extended to the functional entities, e.g. line interface modules, so that each functional entity can be configured individually in accordance with the capabilities and resources of the functional entity.

主权项

1. A network element for a software-defined network, the network element comprising functional entities capable of transferring data between each other, and one or more of the functional entities being configurable with configuration data received from a controller of the software-defined network, wherein the network element comprises a processing system adapted to control the network element to transmit, to the controller of the software-defined network, one or more entity-specific capability descriptors related to the one or more functional entities configurable with the configuration data, each of the entity-specific capability descriptors expressing operations capable of being carried out by the functional entity related to the entity-specific capability descriptor under consideration.