US 2026/0281035 A1 · MULTI-HOMED LAYER-2 (L2) SERVICE INSERTION ENTERPRISE FABRIC NETWORKS

Abstract

Techniques and architecture are described for L2 service insertion in a network. More particularly, the techniques and architecture provide for monitoring a L2 service, e.g., firewall, MAC address (instead of learning the MAC address) and registering/de-registering the service node (e.g., fabric border or edge or LISP service_etr) to the service control plane (e.g., LISP MSMR) based on this. This not only load-balances the traffic (per L2 flow) but also tracks it for node's liveliness. The techniques and architecture also provide L2 service insertion connected to a service border to allow for dynamic SGT based service, e.g., firewall, insertion for both software defined access (SDA) fabric and non-fabric deployments.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

inserting a service within layer of a network;
registering a service and one or more borders of a fabric network of the network to a service control plane of the network based on service monitoring, wherein registering the service comprises registering a service insertion policy;
receiving, at an edge of a fabric network of the network, a packet destined for a destination media access control (MAC) address;
based at least in part on a first map-request message, providing, by the service control plane to the edge, a first map-reply message, wherein the first map-reply message comprises the service insertion policy for the destination MAC address;
based at least in part on the first map-reply message, forwarding, by the edge, the packet to the one of the one or more borders;
and
forwarding, by the one of the one or more borders, the packet to the service.

4 more elements

A system comprising:

one or more processors;
and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:
inserting a service within layer of a network;
registering a service and one or more borders of a fabric network of the network to a service control plane of the network based on service monitoring, wherein registering the service comprises registering a service insertion policy;
receiving, at an edge of a fabric network of the network, a packet destined for a destination media access control (MAC) address;
based at least in part on a first map-request message, providing, by the service control plane to the edge, a first map-reply message, wherein the first map-reply message comprises the service insertion policy for the destination MAC address;
based at least in part on the first map-reply message, forwarding, by the edge, the packet to the one of the one or more borders;
and
forwarding, by the one of the one or more borders, the packet to the service.

7 more elements

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform actions comprising:

inserting a service within layer of a network;
registering a service and one or more borders of a fabric network of the network to a service control plane of the network based on service monitoring, wherein registering the service comprises registering a service insertion policy;
receiving, at an edge of a fabric network of the network, a packet destined for a destination media access control (MAC) address;
based at least in part on a first map-request message, providing, by the service control plane to the edge, a first map-reply message, wherein the first map-reply message comprises the service insertion policy for the destination MAC address;
based at least in part on the first map-reply message, forwarding, by the edge, the packet to the one of the one or more borders;
and
forwarding, by the one of the one or more borders, the packet to the service.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-homed layer-2 (l2) service insertion enterprise fabric networks

Life of this patent

Multi-homed layer-2 (l2) service insertion enterprise fabric networks

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20