Srinivasan Udayakumar

Bio: Srinivasan Udayakumar is an academic researcher from Arista Networks. The author has contributed to research in topics: Network element & Container (abstract data type). The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 5 publications receiving 7 citations.

System and method of network operating system containers

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a network element that processes control plane data in a network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device receives control plane data with a network element operating system, where at least a functionality of the network element operating system is executing in a container of the network element. In addition, the network element includes a data plane with a plurality of hardware tables and the host operating system. Furthermore, the network element processes the control plane data with the network element operating system. The network element additionally updates at least one of the plurality of hardware tables with the process control plane data using the network element operating system.

Hitless upgrades of a container of a network element

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a network element that hitlessly upgrades a network element operating system of a network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network element hitlessly upgrades the network element operating system by instantiating a second container and starts a second set of processes using a second image of the network element operating system in the second container. In addition, the network element executes a first image of the network element operating system as a first set of processes in a first container. The network element additionally synchronizes state data between the first set of processes and the second set of processes. Furthermore, the network element sets the second set of processes as managing a plurality of hardware tables, and stops the first set of processes within the first container.

Simulating a topology of network elements

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a device that simulates a plurality of network elements is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the device receives network topology information for the plurality of simulated network elements. The device further instantiates a container for each of the plurality of simulated network elements. The device additionally configures a set of processes for each of the plurality of containers, where each of the set of processes simulates at least one of the plurality of simulated network elements. The plurality of set of processes further implements a network topology represented by the network topology information. The device performs a test of the network topology and saves the results of the test.

Hitless upgrades of containers

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a network element that hitlessly upgrades a network element operating system of a network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network element receives a second image for the network element operating system, where a first image of the network element operating system is executing as a first set of processes in a first container and the first set of processes manages the plurality of hardware tables for the network element. The network element further instantiates a second container for the second image. In addition, the network element starts a second set of processes using at least the second image in the second container. The network element additionally synchronizes state data between the first set of processes and the second set of processes. Furthermore, the network element sets the second set of processes as managing the plurality of hardware tables, and stops the first set of processes within the first container.

Dynamically installing a device driver by a network element

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a network element that installs a device driver used to manage hardware of the network element is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the network element detects, with a functionality of a network element operating system, the hardware of a data plane of the network element, where at least one component of the network element operating system is executing in a first container as a first set of processes. The network element further determines a device driver for the hardware and installs the device driver in a kernel of the host operating system. The network element additionally manages the data, with the network element operating system, using the device driver.

Optimization of a software image layer stack

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a device (101) for optimizing a software image layer stack (145) is disclosed. The software image layer stack comprises a plurality of software image layers (141-144) and each layer comprises one or more files (130-140). The device comprises i) a profiling module (104) for determining usage patterns of the files (130-140) and ii) a layer optimization module (105) configured to rearrange the files into optimized software image layers (161-164) and an optimized software image layer stack (165) according to similar usage patterns.

Map tables for hardware tables

Abstract: In one implementation, a system for maintaining a flow pipeline includes a logical table interface engine to expose an interface to receive a maintenance request regarding a flow pipeline of a network element, a map engine to maintain an entry in a first hardware table based on an action of the maintenance request associated with a logical flow table, and a hardware table engine to maintain the second hardware table of the network element based on the entry in the first hardware table.

Container chaining for automated process completion

Abstract: A method obtains a configuration for an automated process that includes discrete tasks. The configuration specifies a corresponding container image, of a plurality of different container images, for each discrete task of the discrete tasks, and further specifies a sequence in which to instantiate a plurality of containers from the plurality of container images to perform the discrete tasks and complete the automated process. The method identifies from the configuration a next container image from which to instantiate a next container for execution to perform a next discrete task, the next discrete task corresponding to the next container image and next container instantiated from the next container image. The method initiates instantiation of the next container from the next container image to initiate execution of the container to perform the next discrete task. The method also repeats the identifying and the initiating instantiation for each next container image.

System and method for in-service update of software

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may relate to method. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the method includes receiving, by a network device, a command to initiate a control plane reboot. The method may also include extracting, based on the command, a transitional update database from a software image that includes a new software version and the transitional update database. The method may also include performing a query to determine whether the transitional update database includes a required transitional update for performing an upgrade to the new software version; installing, when the query determines that the required transitional update is included in the software image, the required transitional update; and performing, after installation of the transitional update is complete, the control plane reboot to complete the upgrade to the new software version.

Secure configuration management system

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a configuration benchmark data store may include a plurality of secure configuration benchmarks. A back-end configuration management computer server may retrieve one of the secure configuration benchmarks and provision, by an orchestration engine, an initial operating system build in accordance with the retrieved secure configuration benchmark and an automation template. The back-end configuration management computer server may then apply, by a provisioning tool, enterprise-specific modifications to the initial operating system build to create an environment compliant with an enterprise standard benchmark. The back-end configuration management computer server may validate the enterprise standard benchmark via secure configuration and vulnerability checks, apply at least one configuration update to the enterprise standard benchmark to create a service instance, and then apply application code to the service instance.