VxLAN Router Alert OptionNuage Networks.755 Ravendale DriveMountain View, CA94043USAkanwar@nuagenetworks.netNuage Networks.755 Ravendale DriveMountain View, CA94043USApradeep@nuagenetworks.netNuage Networks.755 Ravendale DriveMountain View, CA94043USAflorin@nuagenetworks.netAlcatel-Lucent, Inc.Copernicuslaan 50, 2018 ANTWERP2018BELGIUMWim.Henderickx@alcatel-lucent.com
Internet Area
NVO3This proposal describes a new option to achieve a mechanism
which alerts VxLAN terminating VTEP to more closely
examine the contents of the packet encapsulated under VxLAN header.
This option is useful for case(s) where a given frame encapsulated
within a given VXLAN segment responsible for carrying data between two
different End Systems contains some control information (e.g OAM information)
that may require special handling/processing by terminating VTEP.The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "REQUIRED", "SHALL", "SHALL NOT",
"SHOULD", "SHOULD NOT", "RECOMMENDED", "MAY", and "OPTIONAL" in this
document are to be interpreted as described in RFC2119 .When used in lower case, these words convey their typical use in common
language, and are not to be interpreted as described in RFC2119 .VXLAN is a
tunneling mechanism to overlay Layer 2 networks on top of Layer 3 networks.
In most cases the end point of the tunnel (VTEP) is intended to be at the
edge of the network, typically connecting an access switch to an IP transport
network. The access switch could be a physical or a virtual switch located
within the hypervisor on the server which is connected to End System which
is a VM. VXLAN segment encapsulates End System data at Originating VTEP and
carries it over L3 network to the Terminating VTEP, where VXLAN header is
interpreted, removed and data is passed on to the End System.There could be some scenarios like for case of OAM, where the network element
at originating VTEP needs to encapsulate some control information for a given
VXLAN segment, and this control information needs to be analyzed and processed
at the terminating VTEP for that VXLAN segment.This document defines a mechanism whereby Originating VTEP can add additional
information to the VXLAN header, based upon which the Terminating VTEP can decide
to analyze the payload under VXLAN packet, rather then forwarding it to the
destination End System.Terminology used in this document:VXLAN: Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network.VTEP: VXLAN Tunnel End Point.VM: Virtual Machine.End System: Could be VM etc. - System whose data is expected to go over
VXLAN Segment.OAM: Operations, Administration, and MaintenanceOther terminologies are as defined in
.
If the Originating VTEP decides to generate control informtaion,
which needs to go over a given VXLAN segment and if the Terminating
VTEP needs to analyze and process it, then following procedures
have to be followed at Originating and Terminating VTEP(s):-When creating the VXLAN header for a given VXLAN
segment, the Originating VTEP MUST set Router Alert Bit in the
Flag bits in VXLAN header. The VNI for this frame MUST be the
same as for the given VXLAN segment which carries the data
traffic of the End System.On receiving VXLAN frame, the Terminating VTEP would do the usual
VXLAN processing as defined in ,
but if the RA Bit in Flags is Set it MUST send the rest of the inner frame
for further processing to the above application. The details of the applications
and how it would process the inner frame is outside the scope of this document.
This frame MUST not be sent to the target End System.NoneTBDThe authors want to thank Diego Garcia Del Rio and Suresh Boddapati
of Nuage Networksfor significant contribution and feedback.Router Alter Bit (RA): IANA is request to assing 1 Bit in Flags field
of VXLAN Header to communicate VXLAN Router Alert information.VXLAN: A Framework for Overlaying Virtualized Layer 2
Networks over Layer 3 Networks.Framework for DC Network Virtualization.