Patent Publication Number: US-9887877-B2

Title: Switch apparatus, VLAN setting management method and program

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-260051 filed on Nov. 28, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto. 
     The present invention relates to a switch apparatus, a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) setting management method, and a program, and particularly to a switch apparatus centrally controlled by a control apparatus, and a VLAN setting management method and a program therefor. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     In recent years, a technology called OpenFlow has been proposed (refer to Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2). OpenFlow treats communication as an end-to-end flow and performs path control, failure recovery, load balancing, and optimization for each flow. An OpenFlow switch, specified in Non Patent Literature 2, comprises a secure channel for communicating with an OpenFlow controller and operates according to a flow table suitably appended or rewritten by the OpenFlow controller. In the flow table, a set of matching conditions (Match Fields) matching a packet header, flow statistics (Counters), and Instructions defining the processing contents is defined for each flow (refer to the section of “4.1 Flow Table” in Non Patent Literature 2). 
     For instance, upon receiving a packet, the OpenFlow switch searches for an entry having a matching condition (refer to “4.3 Match Fields” in Non Patent Literature 2) that matches the header information of the received packet in the flow table. When an entry matching the received packet is found as a result of the search, the OpenFlow switch updates the flow statistics (Counters) and performs the processing content (packet transmission from a designated port, flooding, discard, etc.) written in the instruction field of the entry on the received packet. On the other hand, when no entry matching the received packet is found as a result of the search, the OpenFlow switch requests the OpenFlow controller to set the entry via the secure channel, transmitting a request (Packet-In message) to determine the contents of the processing performed on the received packet. The OpenFlow switch receives a flow entry that defines the processing contents and updates the flow table. As described, the OpenFlow switch forwards packets using entries stored in the flow table as processing rules. 
     Patent Literature 1 discloses a technology that automates setting in a port-based VLAN. More concretely, when being notified of terminal information by a switching hub, this network management apparatus returns a VLAN ID corresponding to the terminal information as a response to the switching hub. Patent Literature 1 states that the switching hub then sets a virtual LAN designated by the VLAN ID in the port on which the connection of the terminal is detected. 
     Patent Literature 2 discloses a technology that automates the allocation of VLAN numbers to router ports in a relay apparatus that comprises virtual ports, which are the router ports for routing packets between VLANs. 
     Patent Literature 1 
     
         
         Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. JP2002-64525A 
       
    
     Patent Literature 2 
     
         
         International Publication Number WO2008/114424 
       
    
     Non Patent Literature 1 
     
         
         Nick McKeown, et. al. “OpenFlow: Enabling Innovation in Campus Networks,” [online], [searched on May 31, 2012] 
       
    
     Non Patent Literature 2 
     
         
         “OpenFlow Switch Specification” Version 1.1.0 Implemented (Wire Protocol 0x02), [online], [searched on May 31, 2012] 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     The following analysis is given by the present invention. A VLAN ID (Virtual Local Area Network Identifier) is sometimes assigned to each port of a switch apparatus, represented by the OpenFlow switch described above. By doing this, when a packet is outputted, a packet with a VLAN ID that does not match the VLAN ID of the output port can be effectively discarded. 
     However, in order to perform the VLAN assignment described above, a network administrator must manually create VLAN IDs via a command line interface (CLI), and assign them to the interface. 
     Particularly, in a centrally controlled network such as the ones in Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2, control information (flow entries) set by a control apparatus sometimes instructs adding a VLAN that is not set in the switch. As a result, a VLAN ID must be set to the applicable port, and if VLAN IDs are not set appropriately in a timely manner, packets may continue to be discarded meantime. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a switch apparatus, VLAN setting management method, and program capable of contributing to the reduction of the load involved in setting a VLAN ID or to the reduction of the packet loss period due to setting delay in a centrally controlled network. 
     According to a first aspect, there is provided a switch apparatus comprising a plurality of ports. The switch apparatus comprises a VLAN setting management unit that sets VLAN information in the plurality of ports and manages the VLAN information set in the plurality of ports. Further, the switch apparatus comprises a VLAN setting unit that, when VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified in control information received from a predetermined control apparatus is not set in an output port for the output packet, instructs the VLAN setting management unit to set VLAN information specified in the control information in a corresponding output port. In other words, the switch apparatus comprises a function of learning VLAN setting based on the control information transmitted by the control apparatus. 
     According to a second aspect, there is provided a VLAN setting method for a switch apparatus comprising a plurality of ports. The VLAN setting method comprises, by the switch apparatus, confirming whether or not VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified in control information received from a predetermined control apparatus is set in an output port specified in the control information. Further, the VLAN setting method comprises setting in the output port the VLAN information to be added to the output packet specified in the control information received from the predetermined control apparatus when the VLAN information to be added to the output packet specified in the control information is not set in the output port. This method is tied to a particular machine, which is a switch apparatus that processes a packet on the basis of control information received from a control apparatus. 
     According to a third aspect, there is provided a program for a computer, arranged in a switch apparatus that comprises a plurality of ports. The program causes the computer to execute confirming whether or not VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified in control information received from a predetermined control apparatus is set in an output port specified in the control information. Further, the program causes the computer to execute setting in the output port the VLAN information to be added to the output packet specified in the control information received from the predetermined control apparatus when the VLAN information to be added to the output packet specified in the control information is not set in the output port. Note that this program can be stored in a computer-readable (non-transient) storage medium. In other words, the present invention can be realized as a computer program product. 
     The present invention provides the following advantages, but not restricted thereto. According to the present invention, the load involved in setting a VLAN ID can be reduced in a centrally controlled network. Further, the packet loss time due to delay in setting a VLAN ID can be reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a drawing showing a configuration of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a drawing showing a configuration of a switch apparatus of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a drawing showing an example of a table held in a VLAN setting management unit of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing an operation of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a drawing for explaining an operation of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (when a FlowMod message is received). 
         FIG. 6  is a drawing for explaining an operation of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a table update and update content report). 
         FIG. 7  is a drawing for explaining an operation of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (when a FlowMod message is received). 
         FIG. 8  is a drawing for explaining an operation of the switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention (a table update and update content report). 
     
    
    
     PREFERRED MODES 
     In the present disclosure, there are various possible modes, which include the following, but not restricted thereto. First, a summary of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be given with reference to the drawings. Note that drawing reference signs in the summary are given to each element as an example solely to facilitate understanding for convenience and are not intended to limit the present invention to the modes shown in the drawings. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention can be realized by a switch apparatus  10  controlled by a control apparatus  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The switch apparatus  10  comprises a plurality (N number) of ports  104 , a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) setting management unit  107  that sets VLAN information for each of the ports  104  and manages the VLAN information set in each of the ports; and a VLAN setting unit  105  that instructs the VLAN setting management unit  107  to set VLAN information specified by control information received from the control apparatus  20  for a corresponding output port when VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified by the control information has not been set in the output port for the output packet. 
     For instance, when receiving control information from the control apparatus  20  indicating that a packet received from a port  0 /N is outputted from a port  0 / 3  with a VLAN ID of 30 added thereto, the VLAN setting unit  105  confirms whether or not “VLAN ID=30” is set in the port  0 / 3  by referring to the contents (for instance the table in the balloon in  FIG. 1 ) managed by the VLAN setting management unit  107 . For instance, if only information that “VLAN ID=10” is set in a port  0 / 1  and “VLAN ID=20” is set in a port  0 / 2  can be obtained, the VLAN setting unit  105  instructs the VLAN setting management unit  107  to set “VLAN ID=30” in the port  0 / 3 . The VLAN setting management unit  107  set the VLAN information for the corresponding port according to the instruction (for instance “VLAN ID=30 in the port  0 / 3  of  FIG. 1 ). 
     By using the switch apparatus  10 , it becomes possible to automatically set the same VLAN ID as a VLAN ID added to an output packet for an output port without manual setting. Further, in the example in  FIG. 1 , a VLAN ID is automatically registered using the control information that instructs outputting after a VLAN ID has been added to a received packet, however, a VLAN ID specified by control information may similarly be automatically set in a corresponding output port in a case where a matching condition in the control information has a VLAN ID and the control information that instructs a packet matching the matching condition to be outputted from a specified port is received, or a case where an instruction to output a packet for which a VLAN ID has been set is received. 
     (First Exemplary Embodiment) 
     Next, a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 2  is a drawing showing a configuration of a switch apparatus of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  shows an OpenFlow switch (“OFS” hereinafter)  100  connected to an OpenFlow controller (“OFC” hereinafter)  102 . Further, the OFS  100  and the OFC  102  are connected by a secure channel  103  in  FIG. 2 . 
     In the example in  FIG. 2 , the OFS  100  comprises three ports  104   a  to  104   c , the VLAN setting unit  105 , a platform function unit  106  that comprises a command line interface (“CLI” hereinafter)  1061 , and the VLAN setting management unit  107 . 
     Each of the ports  104   a  to  104   c  is connected to an OFS and a host apparatus, and receives/outputs packets that the OFS  100  exchanges with these apparatuses. Further, “ 0 / 1 ,” “ 0 / 2 ,” and “ 0 / 3 ” shown in  FIG. 2  denote slot numbers and port numbers. For instance, the port  104   a  can be expressed “ 0 / 1 ” meaning slot # 0 /port # 1 . 
     The VLAN setting unit  105  functions as an OpenFlow switch function unit that processes packets forwarded by the VLAN setting management unit  107  by referring to a flow table held internally therein as the OpenFlow switches of Non Patent Literatures 1 and 2. 
     Further, when receiving a control message from the OFC  102  (for instance a FlowMod message or PacketOut message in Non Patent Literature 2), the VLAN setting unit  105  confirms whether or not the contents thereof include an association between a VLAN ID and an output port. When the control message includes an association between an VLAN ID and an output port, the VLAN setting unit  105  adds an entry that associates the VLAN ID with the output port to the table held by the VLAN setting management unit  107 , or adds the output port to an existing entry of the corresponding VLAN ID. 
     The platform function unit  106  is used when the table is updated in the VLAN setting management unit  107  via the CLI  1061 . 
     The VLAN setting management unit  107  is constituted by including a table that manages an association between a VLAN ID and each port, and sets a VLAN ID for each port according to an entry in the table.  FIG. 3  is an example of the table that the VLAN setting management unit  107  uses to manage associations between VLAN IDs and ports. In the example in  FIG. 3 , the ports  104   a  ( 0 / 1 ) and  104   b  ( 0 / 2 ) in  FIG. 2  are assigned to “VLAN ID=10,” and the port  104   c  ( 0 / 3 ) in  FIG. 2  is assigned to “VLAN ID=20.” Further, the associations between the VLAN IDs and the ports shown in  FIG. 3  may be entered by an operator via the CLI  1061  of the platform function unit  106  or may be automatically set by the process described below. 
     Further, each unit (processing means) of the switch apparatus and the OFS shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  can be realized by a computer program having a computer that constitutes these apparatuses execute each processing described above using the hardware thereof. 
     Next, an operation of the present exemplary embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.  FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing an operation of the OFS  100  of the present exemplary embodiment when it receives from the OFC  102  a FlowMod message as a control message instructing adding an entry to the flow table or updating an entry therein. In  FIG. 4 , the OFS  100  first refers to the instructions field of the entry that is the target of addition or updating by the FlowMod message and confirms whether or not an action that instructs adding a VLAN ID is set (step S 001 ). 
     As a result of the confirmation, when an action that instructs adding an VLAN ID is found to be set (“Yes” in the step S 001 ), the OFS  100  makes the VLAN ID instructed to be added in the corresponding action a candidate for an automatically set VLAN ID (step S 002 ). 
     When no action that instructs adding a VLAN ID is found to be set (“No” in the step S 001 ) as a result of the confirmation in the step S 001 , the OFS  100  refers to the match fields of the entry that is the target of addition or updating by the FlowMod message to confirm whether or not a VLAN ID is specified (step S 005 ). 
     When a VLAN ID is found to be specified in the match fields as a result of the confirmation (“Yes” in the step S 005 ), the OFS  100  makes the VLAN ID specified in the match fields a candidate for an automatically set VLAN ID (step S 006 ). 
     Once the automatically set VLAN ID candidate is determined, the OFS  100  confirms whether or not the VLAN setting management unit  107  holds an entry corresponding to a set of the automatically set VLAN ID candidate and the output port specified by the entry that is the target of addition or updating by the FlowMod message (step S 003 ). When such an entry exists (“Yes” in the step S 003 ), VLAN automatic setting is omitted since an appropriate VLAN ID is already set in the corresponding output port (step S 007 ). 
     When such an entry is not found as a result of the confirmation (“No” in the step S 003 ), the OFS  100  adds a set of the automatically set VLAN ID candidate and the output port specified by the entry that is the target of addition or updating by the FlowMod message to the VLAN setting management unit  107  as a new entry. Note that, since a plurality of ports can be associated with a single VLAN ID in the table managed by the VLAN setting management unit  107  of the present exemplary embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3 , the output port can be just added to an entry in which the same VLAN ID as the automatically set VLAN ID candidate is set if such an entry exists. After the new entry has been added or the output port has been added to the corresponding entry, the OFS  100  sets the VLAN ID for the corresponding output port as shown in the table. 
     Further, when an action that instructs adding a VLAN ID is not set in the entry that is the target of addition or updating by the FlowMod message (“No” in the step S 001 ) or no VLAN ID is specified in the match fields (“No” in the step S 005 ), VLAN automatic setting is not performed (the step S 007 ). 
     Further, when entry addition or updating is performed in the table of the VLAN setting management unit  107  in step S 004  of  FIG. 4 , it is preferred that the VLAN setting unit  105  notify the OFC  102  of the updated contents in the table of the VLAN setting management unit  107 . For instance, a message that can be uniquely set by a vendor in the OpenFlow protocol can be used for this notification. In the present exemplary embodiment, this message for notifying the updated contents in the table will be referred to as “VLAN STATUS message.” 
     Upon receiving the VLAN STATUS message, the OFC  102  recognizes that appropriate VLAN setting has been performed in conjunction with the FlowMod message, and updates the configuration information of a virtual network managed by the OFC  102 . 
     Further, the OFC  102  may inspect whether or not the combination of the VLAN ID and the output port indicated in the received VLAN STATUS message is appropriate in the context of the virtual network configuration. When the combination of the VLAN ID and the output port is determined to be inappropriate as a result of the inspection, the OFC  102  may instruct the OFS  100  to restore the table of the VLAN setting management unit  107 . 
     Next, an operation of the OFS  100  of the present exemplary embodiment will be described in detail using a concrete example. 
     “Case where an Action Includes the Addition of a VLAN ID” 
       FIG. 5  shows a case where the OFS  100  receives from the OFC  102  an instruction to add or update an entry instructing, “when a packet matching a matching condition is received (match key: ***), output the packet from the port “ 0 / 3 ” after adding a VLAN ID of “ 10 ” (action: SET_VLAN_VID= 10 , OUTPUT port= 0 / 3 ).” In this case, since the addition of VLAN ID “ 10 ” and output from the port “ 0 / 3 ” are instructed as actions, the VLAN setting unit  105  makes VLAN ID “ 10 ” a candidate for an automatically set VLAN ID (the step S 002  in  FIG. 4 ). Then, the VLAN setting unit  105  refers to the table shown in  FIG. 3  to confirm whether or not a set of VLAN ID “ 10 ” and the output port “ 0 / 3 ” has been registered already (the step S 003  in  FIG. 4 ). The set is determined not to be registered since the entry of “VLAN ID=10” in  FIG. 3  has only the ports “ 0 / 1 ” and “ 0 / 2 ” registered. In this case, the VLAN setting unit  105  sets “VLAN ID=10” in the port “ 0 / 3 ” and adds the port “ 0 / 3 ” to the entry of “VLAN ID=10” in the table of the VLAN setting management unit  107 , as shown in  FIG. 6  (the step S 004  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Further, in the example in  FIG. 6 , the VLAN setting unit  105  notifies the OFC  102  that the port “0/3” has been added to the entry of “VLAN ID=10” using a VLAN_STATUS message. 
     “Case where a VLAN ID is Specified in a Matching” 
       FIG. 7  shows a case where the OFS  100  receives from the OFC  102  an instruction to add or update an entry instructing, “when a packet matching a matching condition of “VLAN ID=30” is received (match key: VLAN ID=30), output the packet from the port “ 0 / 3 ” (action: OUTPUT port=0/3).” In this case, since VLAN ID “ 30 ” is specified as a matching condition and output from the port “ 0 / 3 ” are instructed, the VLAN setting unit  105  makes VLAN ID “ 30 ” a candidate for an automatically set VLAN ID (the step S 006  in  FIG. 4 ). Then, the VLAN setting unit  105  refers to the table shown in  FIG. 3  to confirm whether or not a set of VLAN ID “ 30 ” and the output port “ 0 / 3 ” has been registered already (the step S 003  in  FIG. 4 ). The set is determined not to be registered since there is no entry of “VLAN ID=30” in  FIG. 3 . In this case, the VLAN setting unit  105  sets “VLAN ID=30” in the port “ 0 / 3 ” and adds an entry associating “VLAN ID=30” with the port “ 0 / 3 ” in the table of the VLAN setting management unit  107 , as shown in  FIG. 8  (the step S 004  in  FIG. 4 ). 
     Further, in the example of  FIG. 8 , the VLAN setting unit  105  notifies the OFC  102  that an entry associating “VLAN ID=30” with the port “ 0 / 3 ” has been added using a VLAN_STATUS message. 
     As described, according to the present exemplary embodiment, the OFS  100  extracts the relationship between a VLAN ID and an output port from a control message instructed by the OFC  102 , and the VLAN ID is automatically set in the corresponding port if the relationship is not registered in the VLAN setting management unit  107 . 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described above, however, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described and further modifications, substitutions, and adjustments can be added within the scope of the basic technological concept of the present invention. For instance, the number of ports and the VLAN information used in the exemplary embodiment described above are merely examples without being limited thereto. 
     Further, in the exemplary embodiment described above, a set of a VLAN ID and a port is transmitted to the OFC  102 , however, a set of a VLAN ID and a port may be transmitted to another control apparatus operating together with the OFC  102 . 
     Further, in the exemplary embodiment described above, a set of an VLAN ID and an output port is extracted from a FlowMod message, however, other control messages may be added as targets. 
     Further, in the exemplary embodiment described above, the VLAN setting unit  105  functions as the OpenFlow switch function unit as well, however, the two apparatuses can be separated. Further, for instance, a configuration in which the VLAN setting unit  105  and the VLAN setting management unit are integrated can be employed as well. 
     Finally, preferred modes of the present invention will be summarized. 
     (Mode  1 ) 
     Refer to the switch apparatus according to the first aspect. 
     (Mode  2 ) 
     In Mode  1 , the VLAN setting unit may further notify the predetermined control apparatus of an added or updated content(s) of an entry in the VLAN setting management unit. 
     (Mode  3 ) 
     In Mode  1  or  2 , the VLAN setting management unit holds an entry that includes an association between a VLAN ID and a port, and the VLAN setting unit, to instruct the VLAN setting management unit to set VLAN information specified in the control information in a corresponding output port, executes:
     when there is an entry including a same VLAN information as VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified in the control information and the entry is not associated with a transmission port for the output packet, adding to the entry the transmission port for the output packet specified in the control information; and   when there is no entry including a same VLAN information as VLAN information to be added to an output packet specified in the control information, adding an entry in which a transmission port for the output packet is associated with VLAN information included in the output packet.
 
(Mode  4 )
   

     In Mode  2  or  3 , the VLAN setting unit may further hold a table that stores the control information received from the predetermined control apparatus and updates the table in accordance with an instruction from the predetermined control apparatus. 
     (Mode  5 ) 
     Refer to the VLAN setting method according to the second aspect. 
     (Mode  6 ) 
     Refer to the program according to the third aspect. 
     Note that Modes  5  and  6  can be developed into Modes  2  to  4  as Mode  1 . 
     Further, the disclosure of each Patent Literature and each Non Patent Literature listed above is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto. It should be noted that other objects, features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent in the entire disclosure and that modifications may be done without departing the gist and scope of the present invention as disclosed herein and claimed as appended herewith. Also it should be noted that any combination of the disclosed and/or claimed elements, matters and/or items may fall under the modifications aforementioned.
       10 : switch apparatus     20 : control apparatus     100 : OpenFlow switch (OFS)     102 : OpenFlow controller (OFC)     103 : secure channel     104 ,  104   a  to  104   c : port     105 : VLAN setting unit (OpenFlow switch function unit)     106 : platform function unit     107 : VLAN setting management unit     1061 : command line interface (CLI)