Abstract: For a network control system that receives, from a user, logical datapath sets that logically express desired forwarding behaviors that are to be implemented by a set of managed switching elements, a controller for managing several managed switching elements that forward data in a network that includes the managed switching elements is described. The controller includes a set of modules for detecting a change in one or more managed switching elements and for updating logical datapath set based on the detected change. The logical datapath set is for subsequent translation into a set of physical forwarding behaviors of the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems maintain network membership information for a host when it is disconnected from a controller. When the host detects a loss of connectivity with the network controller, the host identifies and selects one or more hosts that are members of a control logical network. The control logical network includes hosts configured to run data compute nodes that are members of the overlay network, regardless of whether or not each of the hosts is currently running a data compute node that is a member of the overlay network. The host then sends any broadcast, unknown destination, or multicast (BUM) data packet(s) to the selected one or more hosts.

Abstract: A novel design of a gateway that handles traffic in and out of a network by using a datapath daemon is provided. The datapath daemon is a run-to-completion process that performs various data-plane packet-processing operations at the edge of the network. The datapath daemon dispatches packets to other processes or processing threads outside of the daemon by utilizing a user space network stack.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance network traffic management. In one implementation, a first host identifies a packet to be transferred from a first virtual machine on the first host to a second virtual machine on a second host. In response to identifying the packet, the first host identifies a source logical port for the first virtual machine, and transferring a communication to the second host, wherein the communication encapsulates the data packet and the source logical port. Once the packet is received by the second host, the second host may use the source logical port to determine a forwarding action for the packet.

Abstract: A novel method for performing replication of messages in a network that bridges one or more physical networks to an overlay logical network is provided. A physical gateway provides bridging between network nodes of a physical network and virtual machines in the overlay logical network by serving as an endpoint of the overlay logical network. The physical gateway does not replicate messages from the bridged physical network to destination endpoints in the overlay logical network directly, but instead tunnels the message-to-be-replicated to a designated tunnel endpoint in the overlay logical network. The designated tunnel endpoint in turn replicates the message that was tunneled to it to other endpoints in the overlay logical network.

Abstract: Methods and systems for implementing private allocated networks in a virtual infrastructure are presented. One method operation creates virtual switches in one or more hosts in the virtual infrastructure. Each port in the virtual switches is associated with a private allocated network (PAN) from a group of possible PANs. In one embodiment, one or more PANs share the same physical media for data transmission. The intranet traffic within each PAN is not visible to nodes that are not connected to the each PAN. In another operation, the method defines addressing mode tables for the intranet traffic within each PAN. The entries in the addressing mode tables define addressing functions for routing the intranet traffic between the virtual switches, and different types of addressing functions are supported by the virtual switches.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method useful for implementing high availability (HA) enhancements to a computer network, comprising the steps of: providing a first edge device of a local area network (LAN); providing a second edge device of the LAN; providing a gateway system to the LAN from a wide area network; detecting that an HA cable between the first edge device and the second edge device is disconnected; establishing a network connection between the gateway system and the second edge device; with the gateway system: determining that the first edge device is active and passing network traffic, implementing a network tunneling protocol with second edge device.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for a first managed forwarding element operating within a first data compute node (DCN) that executes on a host machine. From the first DCN, the method receives a packet destined for a second DCN that is logically connected to the first DCN through a set of logical forwarding elements of a logical network. The method performs forwarding processing on the packet in order to (i) identify a particular logical forwarding element in the set of logical forwarding elements, a logical port of which is coupled to the second DCN, and (ii) identify a second managed forwarding element that implements the logical port of the particular logical forwarding element. The method forwards the packet to the second managed forwarding element.

Abstract: A managed hardware forwarding element (MHFE) that performs packet forwarding operations for a logical network is described. The MHFE receives configuration data for the logical network that defines a logical router and a set of logical switches for logically connecting several end machines that operate on different host machines to several physical machines that are connected to the MHFE. The logical router also includes multiple routing components. The MHFE also receives a first forwarding table and a second forwarding table. The first forwarding table stores linking data for each logical port of each logical switch in the set of logical switches that identifies a corresponding routing component in the logical router. The second forwarding table stores a set of routes for each routing component of the logical router. The MHFE uses the first and second forwarding tables to perform packet forwarding operations at the MHFE.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for flow-based forwarding element configuration in a network environment. An example method may comprise obtaining a set of security policies associated with the group of workloads; and based on the set of security policies, identifying an allowed forwarding path between a destination and a first workload. The method may also comprise configuring a whitelist set of flow entries and sending configuration information to the flow-based forwarding element to cause the flow-based forwarding element to apply the whitelist set. The whitelist set may include a first flow entry specifying match fields and a first action to allow communication over the allowed forwarding path, but excludes a second flow entry specifying a second action to block communication over a forbidden forwarding path between the destination and the second workload. The match fields may include transport layer information and network layer information.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a first switch to perform congestion-aware load balancing in a data center network. The method may comprise: receiving probe packets from multiple next-hop second switches that connect the first switch with a third switch via multiple paths. The method may also comprise: processing congestion state information in each probe packet to select a selected next-hop second switch from the multiple next-hop second switches, the selected next-hop second switch being associated with a least congested path from the first switch to the third switch. The method may further comprise: in response to receiving data packets from a fourth switch that are destined for a destination connected with the third switch, sending the data packets to the selected next-hop second switch such that the data packets travel to the third switch along the least congested path.

Abstract: A control system including several controllers for managing several switching elements. A first controller registers a second controller for receiving a notification when a data tuple changes in a network information base (NIB) storage of the first controller that stores data for managing a set of switching elements. The first controller changes the data tuple in the NIB. The first controller sends the notification to the second controller of the change to the data tuple in the NIB. The first and second controllers operate on two different computing devices. Each controller receives logical control plane data for specifying logical datapath sets and converts the logical control plane data to physical control plane data for enabling the switching elements to implement the logical datapath sets.

Abstract: A network system that includes a first set of network hosts in a first domain and a second set of network hosts in a second domain. Within each of the domains, the system includes several edge switching elements (SEs) that each couple to the network hosts and forward network data to and from the set of network hosts. Within the first domain, the system includes (i) an interior SE that couples to a particular edge SE in order to receive network data for forwarding from the edge SE when the edge SE does not recognize a destination location of the network data and (ii) an interconnection SE that couples to the interior SE, the edge SE, and the second domain through an external network. When the edge SE receives network data with a destination address in the second domain, it forwards the network data directly to the interconnection SE.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for providing dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) services to different data compute nodes (e.g., virtual machines) that belong to different logical networks (e.g., for different tenants in a datacenter). In some embodiments, the method inserts a logical network identifier (LNI) value to each DHCP packet and forwards the packet to a DHCP server module for processing the DHCP request. Based on the LNI value, the DHCP server of some embodiments identifies the logical network from which the DHCP packet is received. The DHCP server then provides the requested DHCP service (e.g., assigning an IP address to a data compute node that has originated the DHCP packet, assigning a domain name, etc.) according to a DHCP service configuration for the identified logical network.

Abstract: A logical routing element (LRE) having multiple designated instances for routing packets from physical hosts (PH) to a logical network is provided. A PH in a network segment with multiple designated instances can choose among the multiple designated instances for sending network traffic to other network nodes in the logical network according to a load balancing algorithm. Each logical interface (LIF) of an LRE is defined to be addressable by multiple identifiers or addresses, and each LIF identifier or address is assigned to a different designated instance.

Abstract: A system for private networking within a virtual infrastructure is presented. The system includes a virtual machine (VM) in a first host, the VM being associated with a first virtual network interface card (VNIC), a second VM in a second host, the second VM being associated with a second VNIC, the first and second VNICs being members of a fenced group of computers that have exclusive direct access to a private virtual network, wherein VNICs outside the fenced group do not have direct access to packets on the private virtual network, a filter in the first host that encapsulates a packet sent on the private virtual network from the first VNIC, the encapsulation adding to the packet a new header and a fence identifier for the fenced group, and a second filter in the second host that de-encapsulates the packet to extract the new header and the fence identifier.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for network management entity to perform group-based network event notification in a network environment that includes the network management entity and a notification consumer. The method may comprise: in response to detection of a first network event associated with a group, withholding notification of the first network event to the notification consumer; and in response to detection of a second network event associated with the group, withholding notification of the second network event to the notification consumer. The method may further comprise generating a group notification associated with the group, wherein the group notification is an aggregate notification to report the detection of at least the first network event and second network event; and sending the group notification to the notification consumer.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system that detects whether a data flow is an elephant flow; and if so, the system treats it differently than a mouse flow. The system of some embodiments detects an elephant flow by examining, among other items, the operations of a machine. In detecting, the system identifies an initiation of a new data flow associated with the machine. The new data flow can be an outbound data flow or an inbound data flow. The system then determines, based on the amount of data being sent or received, if the data flow is an elephant flow. The system of some embodiments identifies the initiation of a new data flow by intercepting a socket call or request to transfer a file.

Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables a dynamic chain of service functions for processing network traffic. In a particular embodiment, a method includes, in a logical router for a logical network connecting service functions, receiving a network packet from a service function over the logical network after the network packet has been processed by the service function. The method further includes determining a new classification of the network packet and determining a next service function based on application of a service chain policy to the new classification. The method also includes directing the network packet to the next service function over the logical network.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a first node to perform identifier (ID) allocation in a virtualized computing environment that includes a cluster formed by the first node and at least one second node. The method may comprise retrieving, from a pool of IDs associated with the cluster, a batch of IDs to a cache associated with the first node. The pool of IDs may be shared within the cluster and the batch of IDs retrieved for subsequent ID allocation by the first node. The method may also comprise, in response to receiving a request for ID allocation from an ID consumer, allocating one or more IDs from the batch of IDs in the cache to respective one or more objects for unique identification of the one or more objects across the cluster; and sending, to the ID consumer, a response that includes the allocated one or more IDs.