Method and a device for defining a look-up system for a network element of a software-defined network

A controller system for configuring a network element of a software-defined network, the controller system comprising:

• a device configured to define a look-up system having functionality suitable for the network element;
• and
• data interface for sending, to the network element, configuration data ex-pressing the look-up system having the functionality suitable for the network element,
• wherein the device comprises a processing system comprising circuitries configured to:
• maintain data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in mutually alternative ways with the aid of one or more look-up tables belonging to the set of look-up tables, each of the look-up tables having a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table,
• select, on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, one of alternative look-up systems which is more suitable for the network element than another one of the alternative look-up systems, each of the alternative look-up systems corresponding to one of the mutually alternative ways to construct the look-up system having the functionality suitable for the network element, and
• configure the network element to perform one or more actions in accordance with the selected look-up system.

A network element for a software-defined network, the network element comprising:

• a data transfer interface configured to receive data and to transmit data, the received data expressing functionality needed for to enable the network element to operate as a part of the software-defined network;
• a device configured to define a look-up system having the functionality expressed by the received data;
• and
• a data forwarding section configured to manage data frames in accordance with the look-up system,
• wherein the device comprises a processing system comprising circuitries configure to:
• maintain data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in mutually alternative ways with the aid of one or more look-up tables belonging to the set of look-up tables, each of the look-up tables having a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table,
• select, on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, one of alternative look-up systems which is more suitable for the network element than another one of the alternative look-up systems, each of the alternative look-up systems corresponding to one of the mutually alternative ways to construct the look-up system having the functionality suitable for the network element, and
• configure the network element to perform one or more actions in accordance with the selected look-up system.

A method for defining a look-up system having functionality suitable for a network element of a software-defined network, the method comprising:

• maintaining data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in mutually alternative ways with the aid of one or more look-up tables belonging to the set of look-up tables, each of the look-up tables having a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table;
• selecting, on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, one of alternative look-up systems which is more suitable for the network element than another one of the alternative look-up systems, each of the alternative look-up systems corresponding to one of the mutually alternative ways to construct the look-up system having the functionality suitable for the network element;
• and
• configuring the network element to perform one or more actions in accordance with the selected look-up system.

A software-defined network comprising:

• one or more network elements, and
• a controller system configured to transmit configuration data to the one or more network elements so as to configure the one or more network elements, the controller system comprising
• a device configured to define, for at least one of the network elements, a look-up system having functionality suitable for the network element, and
• a data interface configured to send, to the network element, configuration data expressing the look-up system, and
• the device comprising a processing system comprising circuitries configured to:
• maintain data specifying a set of look-up tables so that the look-up system is capable of being constructed in mutually alternative ways with the aid of one or more look-up tables belonging to the set of look-up tables, each of the look-up tables having a look-up table specific resource consumption estimate indicating a load factor of at least one component of the network element when running operations related to the look-up table,
• select, on the basis of the look-up table specific resource consumption estimates, one of alternative look-up systems which is more suitable for the network element than another one of the alternative look-up systems, each of the alternative look-up systems corresponding to one of the mutually alternative ways to construct the look-up system having the functionality suitable for the network element, and
• configure the network element to perform one or more actions in accordance with the selected look-up system.