PROGRAMMABLE MANAGEMENT ENGINE FOR NETWORKS

摘要

A network node may contain a virtual software-defined networking (SDN) switch and a local a management engine (e.g., a software application) for generating performance metrics based on received management plane traffic. Specifically, the virtual SDN switch may identify and forward received management plane traffic to the local management engine. In turn, the management engine evaluates the management plane traffic to generate performance metrics without forwarding the management plane packets to the remote SDN controller. The management engine may compare the metrics to one or more thresholds to determine the current state or health of the data paths in a network. If a threshold is exceeded, the management engine may transmit an alert to the virtual SDN switch to perform a corrective action—e.g., using a backup data path after the primary data path fails.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving management plane traffic at a software-defined networking (SDN) switch on a network node in a computer network; forwarding the management plane traffic from the SDN switch to a management engine executing in the network node, generating, at the management engine, one or more performance metrics associated with the computer network based on the management plane traffic; receiving, at the SDN switch, a management plane packet from the management engine; and forwarding the management plane packet to a neighboring node in the computer network.