Normalized software-defined networking interface

Abstract

A normalized SDN interface (hereinafter “SDN interface”) can present a single, consistent SDN interface, adapting messages received at the SDN interface to the individual SDN protocols implemented by SDN managers and SDN devices. The SDN interface thus allows a service manager and other components to implement a single protocol, simplifying the network management functionality and operations. The SDN interface can include individual, “pluggable” adapters for each of the particular SDN protocols used by the virtualized network functionality available to the service manager.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 based on receipt of a first message at an interface of a software-defined networking (SDN) controller, identifying which of a plurality of SDN components is a destination SDN component for the first message, wherein the plurality of SDN components comprises a plurality of virtualized network functionalities and the first message conforms to a first protocol used by SDN service managers to communicate with the SDN controller;   selecting a first adapter of a plurality of adapters of the SDN controller based, at least in part, on a second protocol used by the destination SDN component;   adapting, by the first adapter, the first message into a second message, wherein the second message conforms to the second protocol; and   communicating, from the first adapter, the second message to a first SDN manager of a plurality of SDN managers, wherein the first SDN manager communicates with the destination SDN component according to the second protocol and each of the plurality of SDN managers implements a different one of a plurality of protocols which includes the second protocol.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a destination type indicated in the first message and then searching a configuration file or database with the destination type indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the destination type, wherein the first adapter is associated with the destination type. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining from the first message an indication of the second protocol and then searching a configuration file or database with the second protocol indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the second protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 determining a device identifier from the first message, wherein the plurality of SDN components also comprises devices; and 
 determining which of the plurality of SDN managers manages a device identified by the device identifier based on searching metadata that maps SDN manager identifiers to device identifiers, wherein an identifier of the first SDN manager maps to the device identifier in the metadata. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the device identified by the device identifier implements at least one of the plurality of virtualized network functionalities. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first message instructs the SDN controller to modify a service chain with respect to the destination SDN component and wherein adapting the first message into the second message comprises translating a provisioning command identifier defined in the first protocol into a provisioning command identifier defined in the second protocol or defined by an application programming interface of the destination SDN component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first adapter adapting the first message into the second message comprises the first adapter generating the second message based on mappings of message fields of the first protocol to message fields of the second protocol and translations of command identifiers of the first protocol to command identifiers of the second protocol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising configuring the SDN controller with the plurality of adapters, wherein each of the plurality of adapters comprises message field mappings between the first protocol and a protocol of a different one of the plurality of SDN components and comprises command identifier translations between the first protocol and a protocol of a different one of the plurality of SDN components. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protocols implemented by the plurality of SDN managers are protocols corresponding to virtualized network functionalities and devices and wherein the first protocol is a generic protocol for network management communications and operations between service managers and SDN controllers. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computing device to perform operations comprising:
 identifying which of a plurality of software-defined networking (SDN) components is a destination SDN component for a first message received at a SDN controller from a service manager, wherein the plurality of SDN components comprises a plurality of virtualized network functionalities and the first message conforms to a generic protocol used by SDN service managers to communicate with the SDN controller;   determining which of a plurality of adapters to select to adapt the first message;   adapting the first message into a second message based on field mappings and command identifier translations indicated by the selected adapter, wherein the field mappings and command identifier translations indicated by the selected adapter are from the generic protocol to a second protocol; and   communicating the second message to a first SDN manager of a plurality of SDN managers, wherein the first SDN manager communicates with the destination SDN component according to the second protocol and each of the plurality of SDN managers implements a different one of a plurality of protocols which includes the second protocol.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the operation of determining which of the plurality of adapters to select comprises determining a destination type indicated in the first message and then searching a configuration file or database with the destination type indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the destination type. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 10  wherein the operation of determining which of the plurality of adapters to select comprises determining from the first message an indication of one of the plurality of protocols and then searching a configuration file or database with the protocol indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the protocol indication. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 10  further comprising:
 determining a device identifier from the first message, wherein the plurality of SDN components also comprises devices; and 
 determining which of the plurality of SDN managers manages a device identified by the device identifier based on searching metadata that maps SDN manager identifiers to device identifiers, wherein an identifier of the first SDN manager maps to the device identifier in the metadata. 
 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein t adapting the first message into the second message comprises generating the second message based on the field mappings of message fields of the generic protocol to message fields of the second protocol and the command identifier translations of command identifiers of the generic protocol to command identifiers of the second protocol. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor;   a network interface; and   a machine-readable medium having program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to, identify which of a plurality of software-defined networking (SDN) components is a destination SDN component for a first message received from a service manager at an interface of a SDN controller on the apparatus, wherein the first message conforms to a network technology agnostic protocol used by service managers to communicate with the SDN controller;   determine which of a plurality of adapters to select to adapt the first message;   adapt the first message into a second message based on field mappings and command identifier translations indicated by the selected adapter, wherein the field mappings and command identifier translations indicated by the selected adapter are from the network technology agnostic protocol to a second protocol; and   communicate the second message to a first SDN manager of a plurality of SDN managers, wherein the first SDN manager communicates with the destination SDN component according to the second protocol.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of SDN managers implements a different one of a plurality of network technology specific protocols which includes the second protocol. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the program code to determine which of the plurality of adapters to select comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to determine from the first message an indication of one of the plurality of technology specific protocols and then search a configuration file or database with the protocol indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the protocol indication. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the program code to determine which of the plurality of adapters to select comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to determine a destination type indicated in the first message and then search a configuration file or database with the destination type indication for which of the plurality of adapters is associated with the destination type. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises program code executable to cause the apparatus to:
 determine a device identifier from the first message, wherein the plurality of SDN components comprises SDN compatible devices; and   determine which of the plurality of SDN managers manages a SDN compatible device identified by the device identifier based on metadata that maps SDN manager identifiers to device identifiers, wherein an identifier of the first SDN manager maps to the device identifier in the metadata.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises program code executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to communicate the second message from the first SDN manager to the destination SDN component.