Network control method, network system, apparatus, and program

A network control method comprising:

• preparing in a switch a plurality of stages of tables that include at least a first table and a second table and that are different to each other in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, the table being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched;
• searching the first table for a first packet received, applying to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key in the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet, when the first packet matches the search key in the first table, and supplying the second packet to the second table;
• and
• searching the second table for the second packet, applying to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key in the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet, when the second packet matches the search key in the second table,
• the method further comprising:
• in a switch on an egress side of the network,
• decapsulating outer information of the first packet by referencing the outer information in the first table as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet;
• (A) mapping global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table;
• and
• determining a final destination based on information of the second packet, for output, as the operation applied to the second packet using a third table in a stage subsequent to the second table;
• or
• in an order reverse to (A),
• (B) determining destination using global user information of the second packet, as the operation applied to the second packet according to a third table;
• and
• then converting the global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table.

A network system comprising at least one switch including:

• a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, the table being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched,
• wherein the switch searches the first table for a first packet received, applies to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when first packet matches the search key of the first table, and supplies the second packet to the second table, and
• wherein the switch searches the second table for the second packet and applies to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet, when the second packet matches the search key of the second table,
• the system further comprising, as the switch,
• a switch on an ingress side of the network that:
• performs mapping of local user information to global user information, as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet with the global user information;
• performs mapping from the global user information of the second packet to destination information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table to output the third packet with the destination information;
• and
• determines an output based on destination information of the third packet, as the operation applied to third second packet according to a third table in a stage subsequent to the second table.

A network system comprising at least one switch including:

• a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, a table of the tables being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched,
• wherein the switch searches the first table for a first packet received, applies to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when first packet matches the search key of the first table, and supplies the second packet to the second table, and
• wherein the switch searches the second table for the second packet and applies to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet, when the second packet matches the search key of the second table,
• the system further comprising, as the switch,
• a switch on an egress side of the network that decapsulates outer information of the first packet by referencing the outer information as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet;
• (A) performs mapping of global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table;
• and
• determines a final destination based on the information of the second packet, for output, as the operation applied to the second packet according to a third table in a stage subsequent to the second table;
• or
• in an order reverse to (A),
• (B) determines a destination based on global user information of the second packet, as the operation applied to the second packet according to a third table;
• and
• then converts the global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table.

A switch apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, a table of the tables being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table of the tables to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched,
• wherein the switch includes:
• a unit that searches the first table for a first packet received, applies to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when first packet matches the search key of the first table, and supplies the second packet to the second table, and
• a unit that searches the second table for the second packet and applies to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet, when the second packet matches the search key of the second table, wherein the switch apparatus is provided on an ingress side of the network, and wherein the switch apparatus includes:
• a unit that performs mapping of local user information of the first packet to global user information, as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table and outputs the second packet with the global user information;
• a unit that performs mapping from the global user information of the second packet to destination information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table to output the third packet with the destination information;
• and
• a unit that determines output based on the destination information of the third packet, as an operation applied to the third packet according to a third table provided in a stage subsequent to the second table.

A switch apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, a table of the tables being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched,
• wherein the switch includes:
• a unit that searches the first table for a first packet received, applies to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when first packet matches the search key of the first table, and supplies the second packet to the second table, and
• a unit that searches the second table for the second packet and applies to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet, when the second packet matches the search key of the second table, wherein the switch apparatus is provided on an egress side of the network, and wherein the switch apparatus includes:
• a unit that decapsulates outer information of the first packet by referencing the outer information in the first table as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet;
• (A) performs mapping global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table;
• and
• determines a final destination based on information of the second packet, for output, as the operation applied to the second packet using a third table in a stage subsequent to the second table;
• or
• in an order reverse to (A),
• (B) determines destination using global user information of the second packet, as the operation applied to the second packet according to a third table;
• and
• then converts the global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a computer of a switch comprising a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, a table being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table of the tables to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched, to perform processing comprising:

• searching the first table for a first packet received, applying to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when the first packet matches the search key of the first table;
• and
• searching the second table for the second packet and applying to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet when the second packet matches the search key of the second table wherein the executable program stored thereon is configured to instruct the computer of the switch on an ingress side of the network to perform the processing comprising:
• mapping local user information of the first packet to global user information, as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet with the global user information;
• mapping from the global user information of the second packet to destination information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table to output the third packet with the destination information;
• and
• determining output based on the destination information of the third packet, as an operation applied to the third packet according to a third table provided in a stage subsequent to the second table.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a computer of a switch comprising a plurality of stages of tables that includes at least a first table and a second table and that are different in mapping of egress information of a network and user information to a packet, a table of the tables being searched whether predetermined information of a packet matches a search key of an entry in the table of the tables to perform an operation defined in an action corresponding to the search key matched, to perform processing comprising:

• searching the first table for a first packet received, applying to the first packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the first table to convert the first packet to a second packet when the first packet matches the search key of the first table;
• and
• searching the second table for the second packet and applying to the second packet an operation according to an action corresponding to a search key of the second table to convert the second packet to a third packet when the second packet matches the search key of the second table,
• wherein the executable program stored thereon is configured to instruct the computer of the switch on an egress side of the network to perform the processing comprising:
• decapsulating outer information of the first packet by referencing the outer information in the first table as the operation applied to the first packet according to the first table to output the second packet;
• (A) mapping global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table;
• and
• determining a final destination based on information of the second packet, for output, as the operation applied to the second packet using a third table in a stage subsequent to the second table;
• or in an order reverse to (A),
• (B) determining destination using global user information of the second packet, as the operation applied to the second packet according to a third table;
• and
• then converting the global user information of the second packet to local user information, as the operation applied to the second packet according to the second table.