SEAL2: An SDN-enabled all-Layer2 packet forwarding network architecture for multitenant datacenter networks

Abstract

This paper presents the design and development of a new network virtualization scheme to support multitenant datacenter networking (MT-DCN) based on software-defined networking (SDN) technologies. Effective multitenancy supports are essential and challenging for datacenter networking designs. In this study, we propose a new network virtualization architecture framework for efficient packet forwarding in MT-DCN. Traditionally, an internet host uses IP addresses for both host identification and location information, which causes mobile IP problems whenever the host is moved from one IP subnet to another. Unfortunately, virtual machine (VM) mobility is inevitable for cloud computing in datacenters for reasons such as server consolidation and network traffic flow optimization. To solve the problems, we decouple VM identification and location information with two independent values neither by IP addresses. We redefine the semantics of Ethernet MAC address to embed tenant ID information to the MAC address field without violating its original functionality. We also replace traditional Layer2/Layer3 two-stage routing schemes (MAC/IP) with an all-Layer2 packet forwarding mechanism that combines MAC addresses (for VM identification and forwarding in local server groups under an edge switch gateway) and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) labels (for packet transportation between edge switch gateways across the core label switching network connecting all the edge gateways). To accommodate conventional IP packet architecture in a multitenant environment, SDN (OpenFlow) technology is used to handle all this complex network traffics. We verified the design concepts by a simple system prototype in which all the major system components were implemented. Based on the prototype system, we evaluated packet forwarding efficiency under the proposed network architecture and compared it with conventional IP subnet routing approaches. We also evaluated the incurred packet processing overhead caused by each of the packet routing components.