Controller-to-controller interface for multi-layer network abstraction
AssigneeJuniper Networks, Inc.
InventorsJonathan Colby Barth, Sudhir Cheruathur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller at an IP (e.g., client) layer in a multi-layer network can request a network topology map from another controller at an optical (e.g., server) layer in the multi-layer network. The controller at the optical layer of the network can use a layer mapping function and common attributes between the formats used to describe the network topology map at the two layers to generate a common layer abstraction model representing the network topology map stored at the controller at the optical layer of the network. A controller-to-controller interface can translate and/or send the common layer abstraction model to the controller at the IP layer for processing data on the network.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- a network entity at a first layer of a multilayer network, the entity at the first layer configured to receive a request for a network topology from a network entity at a second layer of a multilayer network;
- a layer mapping function module operatively coupled to the network entity at the first layer and configured to generate a translation protocol, the translation protocol configured to determine common attributes between a first topology format and a second topology format, the network entity at the first layer of the multilayer network configured to use the translation protocol to convert a topology map in the first topology format into a topology map in a third topology format;
- and
- a multilayer network translation interface module configured to use the topology map in the third topology format to generate a topology map in the second topology format;
- the network entity at the first layer configured to send the topology map in the second topology format to the network entity at the second layer such that the entity at the second layer determines a path between a first network node and a second network node based on the topology map in the second topology format.
A system, comprising:
- a controller at a first layer of a multilayer network including a layer mapping function module, the layer mapping function module configured to translate a network topology map in a first format and at the first layer of the multilayer network into a second format in response to a request for a network topology from a controller at a second layer;
- the controller at the first layer configured to provide the network topology map in the second format to a controller-to-controller interface module configured to convert the network topology map to a third format and provide the network topology map in the third format to the controller at the second layer.
A method, comprising:
- receiving a signal at a first controller at a first layer of a multilayer network from a second controller at a second layer in the multilayer network, the signal requesting a network topology map in a second layer topology format;
- in response to the signal, retrieving a network topology map in a first layer topology format at the first controller;
- translating the network topology map in the first layer topology format into a network topology map in an intermediary topology format using a layer mapping function module at the first controller;
- translating the topology map in the intermediary topology format into a topology map in the second layer topology format using a controller-to-controller interface module;
- and
- sending the topology map in the second layer topology format to the second controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.