Scalable in-band telemetry as a service (taas)

Abstract

Systems and methods for INT telemetry are disclosed. The system selects a subset of flows from a plurality of flows to monitor. Parameters of the selected flows are sent by the management controller to an INT source for creating a watchlist. The INT source analyses an incoming packet against the parameters in the watchlist to determine if the packet belongs to a flow selected for monitoring. If the packet matches any one of the parameters, then the INT source embeds the packet with an IP address of a designated tenant collector and the INT instructions. A designated collector is allocated for each flow, set of flows, or tenant. Regardless of the path taken by the packet, the embedded INT packet contains all the information needed for a downstream network element to send telemetry data without the need for configuring the network element for telemetry.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method in a management controller to manage a flow of telemetry data, the method comprising the management controller:
 receiving flow parameters to identify a flow;   identifying an in-band telemetry (INT) source based on the received flow parameters; and   configuring the INT source to determine a match between an incoming packet and a watchlist, wherein, in response to the INT source determining a match, the INT source:
 embeds a header of the incoming packet with an INT header that includes an identifier of a first collector, and 
 embeds the header of the incoming packet with INT instructions which, when executed by a network element that receives the incoming packet, causes the network element to transmit INT telemetry data to the first collector. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the flow parameters include any of: source IP address, destination IP address, source port number, destination port number, media access control (MAC) address, virtual local area network identifier (VLAN ID), virtual tunnel endpoint Internet protocol (VTEP IP), virtual extensible local area network (VXLAN) ID, and protocol. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the management controller is a host management controller or a network management controller. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the network element has not been previously configured with the identifier of the first collector. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the watchlist includes a list of flows to be monitored. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein, in response to not determining a match between the incoming packet and the watchlist, the INT source forwards the incoming packet without embedding the header of the incoming packet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the management controller manages the flow of telemetry data in a INT capable network that includes a plurality of tenants and each tenant is assigned a separate one or more collectors. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein INT source is selected from a group consisting of a network application, a first network element, a network element along the path of the incoming packet, a switch, a router, an end-host networking stack, a hypervisor, a plurality of network interface cards (NICs), and a send-side top of rack (ToR). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the management controller receiving flow parameters for a second flow, wherein the flow parameters for the second flow include one or more parameters selected from a group consisting of a second source IP address, a second destination IP address, a second source port number, a second destination port number, a second MAC address, a second VLAN ID, a second VTEP IP, a second VXLAN ID, and a second protocol. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, further in response to the INT source determining a match, the INT source:
 embeds the header of the incoming packet with the INT header that includes an identifier of the second collector, and   embeds the header of the incoming packet with INT instructions which, when executed by the network element that receives the incoming packet, causes the network element to transmit INT telemetry data to the second collector.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining a match with the watchlist comprises:
 comparing the incoming packet's header with a plurality of parameters stored in the watchlist; and   determining a match if the incoming packet header matches any one of the plurality of parameters stored in the watchlist.   
     
     
         13 . A method for in-band telemetry (INT), the method comprising:
 receiving a plurality of flow parameters, wherein each flow parameter from the plurality of flow parameters relates to a desired flow to be monitored;   generating a watchlist based on the received plurality of flow parameters;   determining whether a received packet matches any of the plurality of flow parameters in the watchlist; and   in response to determining the received packet matches one of the flow parameters in the watchlist:
 embedding a header of the received packet with an INT header that includes an identifier of a designated collector; and 
 embedding the header of the received packet with INT instructions such that a downstream network element receiving the packet follows the INT instructions and forwards instructed metadata to the designated collector. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising, in response to determining that the received packet does not match any of the flow parameters in the watchlist, forwarding the received packet without embedding any INT header in the header of the received packet. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving the plurality of flow parameters from a management controller. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein, regardless of a path taken by the received packet, the embedded INT header of the received packet provides telemetry instructions needed by a downstream network element that has not been configured with the identifier of the designated collector. 
     
     
         17 . A system for in-band telemetry (INT), the system comprising:
 a management controller;   a network device connected to the management controller; and   the management controller having control circuitry configured to:
 receive flow parameters; 
 identify the network device based on the received flow parameters; and 
 configure the the network device to determine a match between an incoming packet and a watchlist, 
 wherein, when there is a match, the the network device:
 embeds a header of the incoming packet with an INT header that includes information that identifies a designated collector, and 
 embeds the header of the incoming packet with INT instructions such that a network element receiving the incoming packet follows the INT instructions and forwards instructed INT telemetry data to the designated collector. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein, when the incoming packet does not match the watchlist, the the network device forwards the incoming packet without embedding any INT header of the incoming packet. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the management controller is a host management controller or a network management controller. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the flow parameters include one or more of a source IP address, a destination IP address, a source port number, a destination port number, a MAC address, a VLAN ID, a VTEP IP, a VXLAN ID, and a protocol. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the network element receiving the incoming packet is not configured by the management controller for INT telemetry.