Providing Network Address Translation in a Software Defined Networking Environment

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for providing network address translation in a software defined networking environment. A control system can detect a request to create a network address translation function. The control system can analyze a recipe to identify a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of the network address translation function, trigger instantiation of the network address translation switch via a network control function, and trigger instantiation of the network address translation virtual function via a service control function. The control system can validate the network address translation function and chain the network address translation function to a host. The network address translation function can provide address translation for the host using the network address translation switch.

1 . A control system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
 identifying a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of a network address translation function, 
 triggering instantiation of the network address translation switch on a virtual machine, 
 triggering instantiation of the network address translation virtual function on the virtual machine, and 
 chaining the network address translation function to a host via the network address translation switch, whereby traffic from the host flows to the network address translation function, wherein the network address translation function provides address translation for the host using the network address translation switch, wherein the network address translation switch is controlled by a network control function, and wherein the network address translation virtual function is controllable by a service control function. 
   
     
     
         2 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of an application, and wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of a service. 
     
     
         3 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the network address translation switch is configured by network address translation configuration data that is received at the network address translation function. 
     
     
         4 . The control system of  claim 3 , wherein the network address translation configuration data specifies a network address translation technique to be applied by the network address translation function. 
     
     
         5 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 transferring a host address from the host to the network address translation function, wherein the host address is used as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         6 . The control system of  claim 5 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 assigning a new address to the host, wherein the new address is used by the network address translation function as an internal address for the host.   
     
     
         7 . The control system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 assigning a sub-address to the network address translation function for use as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 identifying, at a control system comprising a processor, a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of a network address translation function; triggering, by the processor, instantiation of the network address translation switch on a virtual machine;   triggering, by the processor, instantiation of the network address translation virtual function on the virtual machine; and   chaining, by the processor, the network address translation function to a host via the network address translation switch, whereby traffic from the host flows to the network address translation function, wherein the network address translation function provides address translation for the host using the network address translation switch, wherein the network address translation switch is controlled by a network control function, and wherein the network address translation virtual function is controlled by a service control function.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 receiving, via an application programming interface exposed by the network address translation virtual function, network address translation configuration data, wherein the network address translation switch is configured by the network address translation configuration data, and wherein the network address translation configuration data specifies a network address translation technique to be applied by the network address translation function.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of an application, and wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of a service. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 assigning a sub-address to the network address translation function for use as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 transferring a host address from the host to the network address translation function, wherein the host address is used as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 assigning a new address to the host, wherein the new address is used by the network address translation function as an internal address for the host, and wherein the new address is obtained from an address management function.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 assigning a new address to the network address translation function, wherein the new address is used as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         15 . A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 identifying a network address translation switch and a network address translation virtual function that are to provide functionality of a network address translation function;   triggering instantiation of the network address translation switch on a virtual machine by a network control function that is in communication with a control system;   triggering instantiation of the network address translation virtual function on the virtual machine by a service control function that is in communication with the control system; and   chaining the network address translation function to a host via the network address translation switch, whereby traffic from the host flows to the network address translation function, wherein the network address translation function provides address translation for the host using the network address translation switch, wherein the network address translation switch is controllable by the network control function, and wherein the network address translation virtual function is controllable by the service control function.   
     
     
         16 . The computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of an application, and wherein the network address translation function is not created as a part of a service. 
     
     
         17 . The computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 assigning a sub-address to the network address translation function for use as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         18 . The computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 transferring a host address from the host to the network address translation function, wherein the host address is used as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         19 . The computer storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 assigning a new address to the network address translation function, wherein the new address is used as an external address for the network address translation function.   
     
     
         20 . The computer storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
 assigning a new address to the host, wherein the new address is used by the network address translation function as an internal address for the host.