Internet DRAFT - draft-gu-sfc-test-report-sfc-nsh

draft-gu-sfc-test-report-sfc-nsh







SFC                                                                R. Gu
Internet-Draft                                                     C. Li
Intended status: Informational                              China Mobile
Expires: April 20, 2016                                     H. Assarpour
                                                                Broadcom
                                                        October 18, 2015


   Test Report of Service Function Chain with NSH in Cloud Datacenter
                  draft-gu-sfc-test-report-sfc-nsh-00

Abstract

   Service function chaining is provided in cloud datacenters with some
   encapsulation technology adopted in classifing and forwarding traffic
   flows of service function chaining.  This draft introduces the test
   of service function chain with the encapsulation technology NSH in
   Cloud Datacenter, which shows significance to the pratical deployment
   of carrier grade services of NFV datacenter.

Status of This Memo

   This Internet-Draft is submitted to IETF in full conformance with the
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   This Internet-Draft will expire on April 20, 2016.

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   Copyright (c) 2015 IETF Trust and the persons identified as the
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Table of Contents

   1.  Introduction  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   2.  Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   2
   3.  Definition of terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   4.  Test setup  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   3
   5.  Test cases and results  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.1.  Functionality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
     5.2.  Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       5.2.1.  High bandwidth test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   6
       5.2.2.  Large scale SFC flow test . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   7
       5.2.3.  Flow update rate test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
       5.2.4.  Forwarding latency  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   8
   6.  Security Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   7.  IANA Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   8.  Conclusion  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   9.  Normative References  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9
   Authors' Addresses  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   9

1.  Introduction

   Service function chaining is provided in cloud datacenters which
   means that several service functions are at service in a required
   order.  In providing the service function chaining, Network Service
   Header (NSH) encapsulation is used by inserting the NSH onto the
   encapsulated packets or frames to realize function paths.

   This draft describes the test on service function chaining (SFC)
   solution with NSH for NFV architectures.  In the test, a single point
   of SFC controller is used in controlling the NFV networks.  This
   solution is targeted at carrier grade services using SFC solution
   integrated into a top of rack (TOR) switch.  Performance,
   scalability, and impact on customization are evaluated.

2.  Terminology

   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].

   In this document, these words will appear with that interpretation
   only when in ALL CAPS.  Lower case uses of these words are not to be
   interpreted as carrying RFC-2119 significance.








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3.  Definition of terms

   DPI  Deep Packet Inspection


   FW Firewall


   LB Load Balance


   NAT  Network Address Translation


   NSH  Network Service Header


   OAM  Operation and Management


   SF Service Function


   SFC  Service Function Chaining


   SFC CLA  Service Function Chaining Classification


   SFF  Service Function Forwarding


   VNF  Virtual Network Function


4.  Test setup

   The evaluation test aims at testing the complete SFC solution which
   is integral to build a carrier class NFV datacenter.

   The solution shown as follows includes:

   SFC controller and Management

   The SFC controller is used to translate the service function chains
   to forwarding paths and propagate the path information to
   participating nodes in order to realize the service function




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   chain.The SFC mangement is charge for managing the service function
   chains and service functions.  [draft-ietf-sfc-control-plane]

   SFC Classification (SFC CLA)

   Locally instantiated matching of traffic flows against policy for
   subsequent application of the required set of network service
   functions, which is defined in [draft-ietf-sfc-architecture].  The
   policy may be customer/network/service specific.

   SF Forwarding (SFF)

   SFF is responsible for forwarding traffic to one or more connected
   service functions according to information carried in the SFC
   encapsulation and handling traffic coming back from the SF.

   Service function features

   Service function features provide some additional service function
   features such as OAM and SFC proxy.

   Switch

   The switch provides the data center underlay switching and provides
   the high speed connectivity required in data centers.

   Virtual Network Functions

   Virtual network function acts on the specific treatment of received
   packets, which belong to various layers of a protocol stack.  The
   service functions include: firewalls, load balancer, WAN, DPI, NAT
   and so on.



















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   +------------------------------------------------------------------+
   |                                                                  |
   |                  SFC controller and  Management                  |
   |                                                                  |
   +--------------------------------|---------------------------------+
                                    |
   +--------------------------------V---------------------------------+
   |                                                                  |
   |  ++++++++++++       ++++++++++      ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
   |  +          +       +        +      +                          + |
   |  +   SFC    +       +   SFF  +      +Service function features + |
   |  +Classifier+       +        +      +     (OAM or SFC proxy)   + |
   |  +          +       +        +      +                          + |
   |  ++++++++++++       ++++++++++      ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ |
   |                                                                  |
   |  Service Function Chaining Forwarding Parts                      |
   +--------------------------------|---------------------------------+
                                    |
   +--------------------------------V---------------------------------+
   |                                                                  |
   |                             Switch                               |
   |                                                                  |
   +-----|------------|--------------|--------------|-------------||--+
         |            |              |              |             ||
         |            |              |              |             ||
 +--------------------------------------------------------+       ||
 | +----------+  +----------+   +----------+  +----------+|  +----||---+
 | |          |  |          |   |          |  |          ||  |         |
 | |   VNF 1  |  |   VNF 2  |   |   VNF 3  |  |   VNF N  ||  |  Tester |
 | |          |  |          |   |          |  |          ||  |         |
 | +----------+  +----------+   +----------+  +----------+|  +---------+
 | SF                                                     |
 +---------------------------------------------------------

                               Test Topology

   In the test, the tester responsible for the traffic source and the
   monitors sends out the traffic with all of the required test patterns
   and receives the traffic coming back after handling from the VNFs.
   When the SFC controller tells the information of the service function
   chain to the service function forwarding parts, the CL SLA and SFF
   perform the operations.  In indicating the service chain path, NSH
   are supported by the service function chaining forwarding devices and
   the vNFs.







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5.  Test cases and results

5.1.  Functionality

   Content:

   The VNF is updated with the encapsulation technology.  In this test,
   GRE tunnel and NSH is used during the service function chaining.  So
   the VNF is developed by decoding GRE header and NSH header, doing the
   security check of the IP packet and modify the GRE and NSH headers.

   The test aims at the service function forwarding parts can work with
   the updated VNFs.

   Significance:

   The significance of the test is to demonstrate the service function
   chain does work with NSH.

   Process:

   The traffic sent out from the tester to the Service Function Chaining
   Forwarding Parts where the service function classification chooses
   the flow path and the service function forwarding does the forwarding
   actions.  The traffic is forwarded into the VNFs by the service
   function forwarding.  The traffic can pass through a single VNF or
   multiple VNFs due to the path planned, and returns back to the tester
   after handling by VNFs and termination by the Service Function
   Forwarding Parts.

   Result:

   Incoming and outcoming traffic are checked in the switch with no
   packet loss monitored in the tester.

5.2.  Performance

5.2.1.  High bandwidth test

   Content:

   The high bandwidth of source traffic with smaller packet sizes
   processed by the service function chaining forwarding devices is
   tested.

   Significance:





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   The significance of this test is to demonstrate that the service
   function chaining forwarding devices can support high bandwidth
   classification at line rate, which is important in the NFV
   datacenter.

   Process:

   The tester sends out the traffic with small packet size (e.g. 288Byte
   in the test) at the full bandwidth (e.g.40Gbps one hop in the test).
   Several VNFs with several separate service function chains are
   constructed (e.g. six hops with total bandwidth of 240Gbps).

   Result:

   Incoming and outcoming traffic are checked in the switch with no
   packet loss monitored in the tester.

5.2.2.  Large scale SFC flow test

   Content:

   The large scale SFC flow test includes the large scale flow
   classification testing and the large scale SFC flow with SFF testing
   in order to test the classification and forwarding tables.

   Significance:

   The significance of large scale flow classification test is to
   demonstrate that the service function chaining forwarding devices can
   support large scale flow tables and perform all the necessary
   classification and lookup at full bandwidth.  Both high scale flow
   and SFF lookups are demonstrated in the large scale SFC flow with SFF
   testing.

   Process:

   In the first step, traffic is sent out by the tester with a large
   number (e.g. 9million) of flows mapped to few service function paths
   (e.g. 3 service function paths).

   In the second step, traffic is sent out by the tester with a large
   number (e.g. 4million) of flows mapping to many service function
   paths (TBD).

   Result:

   Incoming and outcoming traffic are checked in the switch with no
   packet loss monitored in the tester.



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5.2.3.  Flow update rate test

   Content:

   In this test, the update rate of adding new entries to the
   classification flow tables will be tested.

   Significance:

   It is important that a device doing flow classification can do
   add/delete/modify operations at a high enough rate to support the
   data center requirements as new flows (subscribers, application) are
   added or existing ones removed.

   Process:

   The tester sends out the traffic by the planned service function
   chain.  And at one moment, another traffic sends out by the tester as
   well aiming at adding new entries to the classification flow tables.

   Result:

   It shows out that greater than 40K flow updates per second are added
   successfully.

5.2.4.  Forwarding latency

   Content:

   Forwarding latency of the service chain classification and forwarding
   and the VNFs is tested.

   Significance:

   Latency is of concern in some particular services provided such as
   video service in cloud datacenters.

   Process:

   The tester sends out the traffic by the planned service function
   chain with time at every hop recorded.

   Result:

   The latency we tested was 200usec total over with 23 hops, 5 emulated
   vNFs not only the VNFs themselves.





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6.  Security Considerations

   TBD.

7.  IANA Considerations

   TBD.

8.  Conclusion

   Due to the test of functionality and performance, NSH encapsulation
   technology shows its pratical value in the service function chaining
   in NFV datacenters.However, some more key points need to be further
   studied in order to large scale deployment, such as introducing the
   SFC parts into the existed SDN architecture, and the relationship
   between the SDN controller and the SFC controller and so on.

9.  Normative References

   [RFC2119]  Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
              Requirement Levels", March 1997.

Authors' Addresses

   Rong Gu
   China Mobile
   32 Xuanwumen West Ave, Xicheng District
   Beijing  100053
   China

   Email: gurong@chinamobile.com


   Chen Li
   China Mobile
   32 Xuanwumen West Ave, Xicheng District
   Beijing  100053
   China

   Email: lichenyj@chinamobile.com


   Hamid Assarpour
   Broadcom

   Email: hamid@broadcom.com





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