Dynamic virtual network configuration between containers using physical switch functions for NFV infrastructure

Container-based virtualization simplifies the deployment of applications and will have a significant impact on the future of data center networks. In an NFV infrastructure, it is required to dynamically extend/reduce resources granted to the virtual network function (VNF) as needed. In this paper, we explored SDN technology to construct lightweight virtual networks between Linux containers in dynamic container placement to isolate tenant traffic. We used an SDN controller to distribute logical endpoint information to physical switches before the host physical location was determined for the container. And we used physical switch functions to promptly configure virtual networks between containers when a container was dynamically placed on a host and started in a split second. We also actively probed the container and automatically removed the virtual network when the container stopped. By using our prototype, virtual networks were automatically constructed with no interaction with the SDN controller as soon as 500 of the containers were started.