CN108990126B

CN108990126B - Message forwarding method and device

Info

Publication number: CN108990126B
Application number: CN201810827468.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 程永椿; 王宁
Original assignee: Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-07-25
Filing date: 2018-07-25
Publication date: 2020-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-25
Also published as: CN108990126A

Abstract

The application provides a message forwarding method and a message forwarding device. In this application, when the network device forwards a packet to the AC stacking system, once a white list entry matching a destination MAC address of the packet exists locally, a member link is not selected in an aggregation link according to an existing load sharing algorithm to forward the packet, but the packet is directly forwarded through an assigned member link in the white list entry, where the assigned member link is: the physical link between the member AC which is accessed with the appointed AP in the AC stacking system and the network equipment is the AP accessed by the Client, so that the appointed AP which is accessed by the member AC and is found by the target Client of the message is accessed by the member AC when the member AC forwards the message in the subsequent process, the message can be directly forwarded through the local service port, the pressure of the stacking link between the member ACs in the AC stacking system for forwarding the message is reduced, and the reliability of the AC stacking system is improved.

Description

Message forwarding method and device

Technical Field

The present application relates to network communication technologies, and in particular, to a method and an apparatus for forwarding a packet.

Background

In a large Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), a plurality of Access Controllers (AC) are often required to manage a large number of Access Points (AP). In order to implement unified management on a large number of APs in a WLAN and ensure that an AP accessed by a failed AC is online and a wireless service provided by the failed AC is not interrupted when the AC fails, it is often necessary to stack a plurality of ACs together through stacked links to form a stacked system (referred to as an AC stacked system), where each AC in the AC stacked system is referred to as a member AC.

The AC stacking system is used as a virtual device to connect network devices through aggregation links, wherein the network devices are connected with at least two member ACs, and particularly switching devices (SW: Switch) and the like. The physical links between each member AC and the network devices in the AC stacking system are referred to as member links of the aggregated link. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating that the network device is SW, and the AC stacking system and the SW are connected through an aggregation link.

In the aggregated link, load sharing is performed between the member links. As shown in fig. 1, when the SW sends a message from a server to a Client (Client, denoted as a destination Client) to the AC stacking system, the SW selects a member link from the aggregated links according to a load sharing algorithm to send the message, such as selecting a physical link 1 shown in fig. 1. Thus, the member AC in the AC stacking system, i.e., AC1, receives the message, and the AC1 processes (e.g., converts) the received message into a wired message and then forwards the wired message. When the AC1 finds that the AP accessed by the destination client of the message is not accessed to the local AC but is accessed to the AC2 when forwarding the message, the message is forwarded to the AC2 through the stacking link between the local AC1 and the AC2, which increases the pressure of the stacking link between the AC1 and the AC2 in the AC stacking system.

Disclosure of Invention

The application provides a message forwarding method and a message forwarding device, which are used for reducing the message forwarding pressure of stacking links among member ACs in an AC stacking system.

The technical scheme provided by the application comprises the following steps:

a message forwarding method is applied to a network device, the network device is connected with an AC stacking system through an aggregation link, the AC stacking system comprises at least two member ACs, and the method comprises the following steps:

receiving a message sent to a Client from a server, wherein the destination MAC address of the message is the MAC address of the Client;

searching a white list table item matched with a target MAC address of the message in the local white list table item;

if the message is found, forwarding the message through a designated member link in the white list entry, where the designated member link is one member link in the aggregation link, and the specific steps are as follows: and the network equipment and a member AC accessed with a designated AP in the AC stacking system form a physical link, wherein the designated AP is the AP accessed by the Client.

A message forwarding device is applied to a network device, the network device is connected with an AC stacking system through an aggregation link, the AC stacking system comprises at least two member ACs, and the device comprises:

the receiving unit is used for receiving a message sent to a Client from a server, and the destination MAC address of the message is the MAC address of the Client;

the searching unit is used for searching a white list item matched with the target MAC address of the message in the local white list item;

a forwarding unit, configured to forward the packet through a designated member link in the white list entry when a search result of the search unit is yes, where the designated member link is one member link in the aggregation link, and the specific method is as follows: and the network equipment and a member AC accessed with a designated AP in the AC stacking system form a physical link, wherein the designated AP is the AP accessed by the Client.

It can be seen from the above technical solutions that, in the present application, when a network device forwards a packet to an AC stacking system, even if the network device is connected to the AC stacking system through an aggregation link, once a white list entry matching a destination MAC address of the packet locally exists, a member link is not selected from the aggregation link according to an existing load sharing algorithm to forward the packet, but the packet is directly forwarded through an assigned member link in the white list entry, where the assigned member link is: the physical link between the member AC which is accessed with the appointed AP in the AC stacking system and the network equipment designates the AP as the AP accessed by the Client, so that the appointed AP accessed by the Client for finding the purpose of the message when the member AC forwards the message in the subsequent process is accessed by the member AC and can directly forward the message through the local service port, the message interaction between the member ACs through the stacking link is prevented, the message forwarding pressure of the stacking link between the member ACs in the AC stacking system is reduced, and the reliability of the AC stacking system is improved.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present disclosure and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an AC stacking system connected with SW by an aggregated link;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart of a method provided herein;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a white list entry generation process provided by the present application;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of application networking of an embodiment provided herein;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus provided herein;

fig. 6 is a schematic hardware structure diagram of the apparatus shown in fig. 5 provided in the present application.

Detailed Description

The method and the device control the forwarding of the messages from the Server to the Client (also called messages from the wired side to the wireless side), so that the pressure of the stack link among member ACs in the AC stack system for forwarding the messages is reduced, and the reliability of the AC stack system is improved.

The present application is described below by way of the figures and examples:

referring to fig. 2, fig. 2 is a flow chart of a method provided by the present application. The method is applied to the network equipment. Here, the network device is connected with the AC stacking system, which includes at least two member ACs as described in the background, through the aggregation link. It should be noted that the network device may be a switching device or other devices, and the application is not limited thereto.

As shown in fig. 2, the method may include the steps of:

step 201, receiving a message sent to a Client from a Server, wherein a destination MAC address of the message is an MAC address of the Client.

As an embodiment, the message is a data message.

Step 202, searching the white list table item matched with the destination MAC address of the message in the local white list table item, and if the white list table item is found, executing step 203.

In this application, as an embodiment, the white list entries may be statically configured in the network device.

In this application, as another embodiment, the white list entries may also be implemented by dynamic learning, and how to implement dynamic learning of the white list entries will be described in detail below, which is not repeated herein.

As an embodiment, in the present application, the white list entry matched with the destination MAC address of the packet at least includes: the MAC address of the Client and a designated member link in the aggregation link are as follows: the physical link between the network equipment and the member AC accessed with the appointed AP in the AC stacking system is used for designating the AP as the AP accessed by the Client. Based on the content included in the white list entry, in step 202, searching for the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list entry may specifically include: and searching the white list table item containing the key word in the local white list table item by taking the destination MAC address of the message as the key word.

Step 203, forwarding the message through the designated member link.

This step 203 is executed on the premise that step 202 finds out the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list entry, and based on this premise, even if the network device is connected to the AC stacking system through the aggregation link, once the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet is found in the local white list entry, the packet is directly forwarded through the designated member link in the white list entry, instead of selecting one member link in the aggregation link to forward the packet according to the existing load sharing algorithm.

As described above, the designated member link finds that the AP (the designated AP) accessed by the destination (the Client) of the packet is properly accessed on the local AC when the member AC in the AC stacking system processes and forwards the packet, and forwards the packet directly through the local service port, which completely prevents the packet interaction between the member ACs through the stacking link, which obviously reduces the pressure of the stacking link between the member ACs in the AC stacking system to forward the packet, and improves the reliability of the AC stacking system.

Thus, the flow shown in fig. 2 is completed.

As can be seen from the flow shown in fig. 2, in the present application, when a network device forwards a packet to an AC stacking system, even if the network device is connected to the AC stacking system through an aggregation link, once a white list entry matching a destination MAC address of the packet locally exists, a member link is not selected in the aggregation link according to an existing load sharing algorithm to forward the packet, but the packet is directly forwarded through an assigned member link in the white list entry, where the assigned member link is: the physical link between the member AC which is accessed with the appointed AP in the AC stacking system and the network equipment designates the AP as the AP accessed by the Client, so that the appointed AP accessed by the Client for finding the purpose of the message when the member AC forwards the message in the subsequent process is accessed by the member AC and can directly forward the message through the local service port, the message interaction between the member ACs through the stacking link is prevented, the message forwarding pressure of the stacking link between the member ACs in the AC stacking system is reduced, and the reliability of the AC stacking system is improved.

It should be noted that as an embodiment of the present application, in step 202, if a white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the message is not found in the local white list entry, the following steps may be further performed:

and selecting one member link from the aggregation links to forward the message according to a load sharing algorithm. Here, the manner of selecting one member link from the aggregation links according to the load sharing algorithm is similar to the existing aggregation sharing manner, and is not described again.

In addition, it should be noted that, in order to adapt to the forwarding manner of the network device itself, as an embodiment in the present application, before the step 202 searches for the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list entry, the following steps may be performed:

and searching a forwarding table item matched with the target MAC address of the message in the local forwarding table item, and if the forwarding table item is searched, triggering and executing the operation of searching the white list table item matched with the target MAC address of the message in the local white list table item. Here, the forwarding table entry may be, for example, an MAC table entry, and an outgoing interface identifier of the MAC table entry is: identification of aggregated links.

As an embodiment, if a forwarding table entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet is not found in the local forwarding table entry, the packet may be forwarded according to the existing broadcast manner, which is not described herein again.

The following describes the white list entries related to the present application:

referring to fig. 3, fig. 3 is a flowchart for generating a white list entry according to the present application. As shown in fig. 3, the process may include the following steps:

step 301, when the present device enables a white list learning function, step 302 is executed, where the white list learning function is associated with the Client.

As an embodiment, the association of the white list learning function with the Client refers to: the white list learning function is characterized by the IP address of the Client.

As another example, the association of the white list learning function with the Client refers to: and the white list learning function is characterized by the IP address field where the IP address of the Client is located.

Step 302, learning the white list item according to the obtained Client information of the Client and the member AC accessed by the specified AP, wherein the Client information at least comprises: and the MAC address of the Client.

The flow shown in fig. 3 is completed.

Fig. 2 and 3 are illustrated by way of example in one embodiment:

referring to fig. 4, fig. 4 is a diagram of an application networking of an embodiment provided in the present application. In fig. 4, AC401 and AC402 are stacked by stacking links into AC stacking system 400, and AC401 and AC402 are member ACs of AC stacking system 400.

In fig. 4, the network device is exemplified by SW403 shown in fig. 4. SW403 is connected to AC stacking system 400 via aggregate link 404. The physical link (link a1) between a service interface (GE1/0/1) on AC1 and GE5/0/1 on SW403, the physical link (link a2) between GE1/0/2 on AC1 and GE5/0/2 on SW403, the physical link (link a3) between GE2/0/1 on AC2 and GE5/0/3 on SW403, and the physical link (link a4) between GE2/0/2 on AC2 and GE5/0/4 on SW403 are member links of the aggregation link 404. GE1/0/1 and GE1/0/2 on AC1, GE2/0/1 and GE2/0/2 on AC2 are member ports in a polymerization port (noted as BAGG1) at one end of the polymeric link 404, and GE5/0/1, GE5/0/2, GE5/0/3 and GE5/0/4 on SW403 are member ports in a polymerization port (noted as BAGG2) at the other end of the polymeric link 404.

In fig. 4, when any AP (taking the AP405 shown in fig. 4 as an example) goes online, the SW403 receives a message sent after the AP405 goes online, such as a found message, and for convenience of description, the received message is denoted as a message b 1.

The SW403 selects a member port according to the load sharing algorithm, such as GE5/0/1 forwarding message b 1.

The SW403 local member port GE5/0/1 is connected to the AC401 in the AC stacking system 400, the AC401 in the AC stacking system 400 receives the message b1, and the AC401 interacts with the AP405, and if the AC401 interacts with the AP405, the AP405 finally successfully accesses the AC 401. Of course, the above procedure is executed again in case of unsuccessful access until successful access is finally achieved. At this point, SW403 acquires access to AC401 by AP 405.

In the present application, a white list learning function is added to SW 403. The white list learning function is associated with the IP address of the specified Client. The specified Client herein may be at least one Client in the network shown in fig. 4.

Taking the white list learning function as an example to be associated with the IP address of the Client406_1 shown in fig. 4, otherwise, similarly:

after the SW403 enables the white list learning function, for the IP address of the Client406_1 associated with the white list learning function, the link a1 between the SW403 and the AC401 is selected from the aggregation link 404 according to the information that the AP405 successfully accesses the AC401 when the AP405 is online, and the MAC address and the output interface information of the Client406_1 are obtained from the learned MAC entry matched with the Client406_1 (aggregation link 404).

Generating a white list table item matched with the MAC address of the Client406_1 as shown in table 1 according to the selected link a1 between the SW403 and the AC401, the obtained MAC address of the Client406_1, the output interface information (the aggregation link 404) and the IP address of the Client406_ 1:

TABLE 1

Similarly, other IP addresses associated with the white list learning function may also learn corresponding white list entries in the manner described above.

How to forward the message based on the white list entry is described as follows:

in fig. 4, the Server407 sends a message (denoted as message b1) to the Client406_ 1. The destination IP address of the message b1 is the IP address of the Client406_1, and the destination MAC address is the MAC address of the Client406_ 1.

The SW403 receives the message b1, and searches the MAC entry (for example, the MAC entry) matching the destination MAC address of the message b1 in the local forwarding entry.

If the address is found, the SW403 searches the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the message b1 in the local white list entry.

The SW403 searches the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the message b1 in the local white list entry, where the found white list entry is shown in table 1, and the member link in table 1 is a link a1, and then the SW403 sends a message b1 through a link a 1.

The SW403 is connected to the AC401 in the AC stacking system 400 through the link a1, and the AC401 receives the message b 1.

The AC401 receives the message b1 and processes the message b1, such as converting the message b1 from a wired message to a wireless message.

After that, the AC401 checks that the AP accessed by the client corresponding to the destination MAC address of the message b1 is the AP 405. The AC401 finds that the AP405 is accessing the AC401, and the AC401 directly forwards the message b1 to the AP 405. The AP405 finally sends the packet b1 to the Client406_1, thereby implementing packet forwarding from the Server407 to the Client406_1 (also referred to as packet forwarding from the wired side to the wireless side).

As can be seen from the foregoing forwarding process, in the present application, when the SW403 forwards the message b1 to the AC stacking system 400, even if the SW403 is connected to the AC stacking system 400 through the aggregation link 403, if a white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the message b1 locally exists in the SW403, one member link is not selected from the aggregation links according to the existing load sharing algorithm for forwarding, but is directly forwarded through a member link in the white list entry, where the member link in the white list entry is: physical links between SW403 and the following member ACs in the AC stacking system 400: the accessed AP is just the AP accessed by the target Client of the message b1, so that the member AC directly forwards the message b1 in the subsequent process, the message interaction between the member ACs through the stacking link is prevented, the message forwarding pressure of the stacking link between the member ACs in the AC stacking system is reduced, and the reliability of the AC stacking system is improved.

The methods provided herein are described above. The following describes the apparatus provided in the present application:

referring to fig. 5, fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a structure of the apparatus according to the present invention. The device is applied to network equipment, the network equipment is connected with an AC stacking system through an aggregation link, and the AC stacking system comprises at least two member ACs. As shown in fig. 5, the apparatus includes:

As an embodiment, the forwarding unit is further configured to select a member link from the aggregation links to forward the packet according to a load sharing algorithm if the search result of the search unit is negative.

As an embodiment, before searching for the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list entry, the searching unit further searches for the forwarding entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local forwarding entry, and if the forwarding entry is found, triggers to execute the operation of searching for the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list entry.

As an embodiment, the white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet is obtained by:

when the device enables a white list learning function, the white list learning function is associated with the Client, and then the white list entries are learned according to the acquired Client information of the Client and the member AC accessed by the specified AP, wherein the Client information at least comprises: and the MAC address of the Client.

As an embodiment, the association of the white list learning function with the Client means:

the white list learning function is characterized by the IP address of the Client; alternatively, the first and second electrodes may be,

and the white list learning function is characterized by the IP address field where the IP address of the Client is located.

The description of the apparatus provided in the present application is thus completed.

Correspondingly, the application also provides a hardware structure diagram of the device shown in fig. 5. As shown in fig. 6, the hardware structure may include: a machine-readable storage medium and a processor, wherein:

a machine-readable storage medium: the instruction code is stored.

A processor: the message forwarding method disclosed by the above example of the present application is implemented by communicating with a machine-readable storage medium, reading and executing the instruction codes stored in the machine-readable storage medium.

Thus, the hardware configuration of the apparatus shown in fig. 6 is completed.

In the present application, a machine-readable storage medium may be any electronic, magnetic, optical, or other physical storage device that can contain or store information such as executable instructions, data, and the like. For example, the machine-readable storage medium may be: a RAM (random Access Memory), a volatile Memory, a non-volatile Memory, a flash Memory, a storage drive (e.g., a hard drive), a solid state drive, any type of storage disk (e.g., an optical disk, a dvd, etc.), or similar storage medium, or a combination thereof.

The apparatuses, modules or units illustrated in the above embodiments may be implemented by a computer chip or an entity, or implemented by a product with certain functions. A typical implementation device is a computer, which may take the form of a personal computer, laptop computer, cellular telephone, camera phone, smart phone, personal digital assistant, media player, navigation device, email messaging device, game console, tablet computer, wearable device, or a combination of any of these devices.

For convenience of description, the above devices are described as being divided into various units by function, and are described separately. Of course, the functionality of the units may be implemented in one or more software and/or hardware when implementing the present application.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, embodiments of the present application may be provided as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the present application may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, embodiments of the present application may take the form of a computer program product embodied on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, and the like) having computer-usable program code embodied therein.

The present application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the application. It will be understood that each flow and/or block of the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, and combinations of flows and/or blocks in the flow diagrams and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

Furthermore, these computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart flow or flows and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The above description is only exemplary of the present application and should not be taken as limiting the present application, as any modification, equivalent replacement, or improvement made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A message forwarding method is applied to a network device, the network device is connected with an Access Controller (AC) stacking system through an aggregation link, the AC stacking system comprises at least two member ACs, and each AC is stacked through a stacking link, the method comprises the following steps:

if the message is found, forwarding the message through a designated member link in the white list entry, where the designated member link is one member link in the aggregation link, and the specific steps are as follows: the physical link between the network equipment and a member AC accessed with a designated AP in the AC stacking system is established, and the designated AP is the AP accessed by the Client;

the white list table item matched with the destination MAC address of the message is obtained through the following operations:

when the device enables a white list learning function, the white list learning function is associated with the Client, and then the white list entries are learned according to the acquired Client information of the Client and the member AC accessed by the specified AP, wherein the Client information at least comprises: the MAC address of the Client;

the association of the white list learning function and the Client refers to:

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if no white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the message is found in the local white list entry, the method further comprises:

and selecting one member link from the aggregation links to forward the message according to a load sharing algorithm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein before searching the local white list entries for a white list entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet, the method further comprises:

searching a forwarding table item matched with a target MAC address of the message in a local forwarding table item;

and if the message is found, triggering and executing the operation of searching the white list item matched with the destination MAC address of the message in the local white list item.

4. A message forwarding device is applied to a network device, the network device is connected with an AC stacking system through an aggregation link, the AC stacking system comprises at least two member ACs, and each AC is stacked through a stacking link, the device comprises:

a forwarding unit, configured to forward the packet through a designated member link in the white list entry when a search result of the search unit is yes, where the designated member link is one member link in the aggregation link, and the specific method is as follows: the physical link between the network equipment and a member AC accessed with a designated AP in the AC stacking system is established, and the designated AP is the AP accessed by the Client;

the association of the white list learning function and the Client refers to:

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the forwarding unit is further configured to select one member link from the aggregated links to forward the packet according to a load sharing algorithm if the lookup result of the lookup unit is negative.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the lookup unit further looks up a forwarding table entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in a local forwarding table entry before looking up a white list table entry matching the destination MAC address of the packet in the local white list table entry; and if the message is found, triggering and executing the operation of searching the white list item matched with the destination MAC address of the message in the local white list item.