Virtual Fabric-based Approach for Virtual Data Center Network

Abstract

The fast evolving of data center virtualization has led to high volumes of network fabric traffic. While data center hosts multiple VDCs and network fabrics are managed as a single logical network entity, the network is practically unable to prevent a traffic flood in one VDC from affecting the other VDCs around it. Hence, the data center's network fabric becomes a focal point. Tailoring network to implement virtual fabrics to give each VDC the illusion that all the resources assigned to it are dedicated and isolated, just as if each VDC was connected by a separate physical network, is challenging. Realizing this vision concretely translates into building a network fabric that is virtualized, isolated and that prevents packet forwarding degradation. One of the significant challenges is then around resource constraints. In this paper we present a decentralized control for vFabrics based on a three-level control strategy that dynamically adjusts resource allocation over different time scales to fit vFabrics needs in terms of packet processing. Results show that control strategy guarantees a high fairness level among vFabrics, preserves high performance packet processing by maintaining processing latency stability, and optimizes resource utilisation.