Feedback control of processor use in virtual systems

Abstract

A device may receive packets for a system and obtain a packet drop rate of the system, a processor utilization rate of the system, and a target processor utilization rate of the system. In addition, the device may determine a target packet drop rate based on the packet drop rate, the processor utilization rate, and the target processor utilization rate. The device may drop a portion of the packets in accordance with the packet drop rate.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a network device, processor utilization rates associated with multiple devices included in a virtual system;   comparing, by the network device, the processor utilization rates to respective target processor utilization rates associated with the multiple devices included in the virtual system, including:   identifying a first device, of the multiple devices, where the first device is associated with a first processor utilization rate of the processor utilization rates, and where the first processor utilization rate exceeds a first target processor utilization rate associated with the first device, and   identifying a second device, of the multiple devices, where the second device is associated with a second processor utilization rate of the processor utilization rates, where a second target processor utilization rate, associated with the second device, exceeds the second processor utilization, and where the network device, the first device, and the second device differ;   increasing, by the network device, a first packet drop rate associated with the first device; and   decreasing, by the network device, a second packet drop rate associated with the second device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , where increasing the first packet drop rate is based on the first processor utilization rate and the first target processor utilization rate, and
 where decreasing the second packet drop rate is based on the second processor utilization rate and the second target processor utilization rate.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , where the network device is not included in the virtual system. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , where the processor utilization rates are associated with a first time period, and
 where the increased first packet drop rate and the decreased second packet drop rate are associated with a second, subsequent time period.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 determining new processor utilization rates associated with the second time period,   where increasing the first packet drop rate and decreasing the second packet drop rate are further based on the new processor utilization rates.   
     
     
         26 . A device comprising:
 a memory to store processor utilization rates associated with multiple devices included in a virtual system; and   a processor to:
 compare the processor utilization rates to respective target processor utilization rates associated with the multiple devices included in the virtual system, including: 
 identify a first device, of the multiple devices, associated with a first processor utilization rate, of the processor utilization rates, that exceeds a corresponding first target processor utilization rate associated with the first device, and 
 identify a second device, of the multiple devices, associated with a second processor utilization rate, of the processor utilization rates, where the second processor utilization rate is less than a corresponding second target processor utilization rate associated with the second device, and where the device, the first device, and the second device differ; 
   increase a first packet drop rate associated with the first device based on the first processor utilization rate and the first target processor utilization rate; and   decrease a second packet drop rate associated with the second device based on the second processor utilization rate and the second target processor utilization rate.   
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , where the virtual system includes a virtual router and at least one of:
 security zones, or   trusted networks.   
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 27 , where the virtual system includes the security zones and further includes at least one firewall between the security zones. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 26 , where the processor utilization rates are associated with a first time period, and
 where the increased first packet drop rate and the decreased second packet drop rate are associated with a second, subsequent time period, and   where processor is further to:
 determine new processor utilization rates associated with the second time period, 
 increase the first packet drop rate further based on the new processor utilization rates, and 
 decrease the second packet drop rate further based on the new processor utilization rates. 
   
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 26 , where of each of the multiple devices included in the virtual system are associated with different respective data planes associated with the virtual system. 
     
     
         31 . A method comprising:
 identifying, by a network device, a processor utilization rate associated with multiple devices included in a virtual system;   comparing, by the network device, the processor utilization rate to a target processor utilization rate associated with the multiple devices included in the virtual system;   when the processor utilization rate exceeds the target processor utilization rate, increasing, by the network device , packet drop rates associated with the multiple devices; and   when the target processor utilization rate exceeds the processor utilization rate, decreasing, by the network device, the packet drop rates associated with the multiple devices.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , where increasing or decreasing the packet drop rate is based on the processor utilization rate and the target processor utilization rate. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , where the network device is not included in the virtual system. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , where the processor utilization rate is associated with a first time period, and
 where the increased or decreased packet drop rate is associated with a second, subsequent time period.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising:
 determining a new processor utilization rate associated with the second time period,   where increasing or decreasing the packet drop rate is further based on the new processor utilization rate.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , where of each of the multiple devices included in the virtual system are associated with different respective data planes of the virtual system. 
     
     
         37 . A non-transitory computer readable medium to store instructions that are executable on a computing device, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions to identify a processor utilization rate associated with multiple devices included in a virtual system, where the computing device is not included in the virtual system;   one or more instructions to compare the processor utilization rate to a target processor utilization rate associated with the multiple devices included in the virtual system;   one or more instructions to, when the processor utilization rate exceeds the target processor utilization rate, increase packet drop rates associated with the multiple devices; and   one or more instructions to, when the target processor utilization rate exceeds the processor utilization rate, decrease the packet drop rates associated with the multiple devices,   where increasing or decreasing the packet drop rate is based on the processor utilization rate and the target processor utilization rate.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 ,
 where the processor utilization rate is associated with a first time period,   where the increased or decreased packet drop rate is associated with a second, subsequent time period, and   where the instructions further include:
 one or more instructions to determine a new processor utilization rate associated with the second time period, 
 one or more instructions to increase or decrease the packet drop rate is further based on the new processor utilization rate. 
   
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , where of each of the multiple devices included in the virtual system are associated with different respective data planes of the virtual system. 
     
     
         40 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 37 , where the virtual system includes:
 a virtual router;   security zones; and   at least one firewall between the security zones.