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: Some embodiments provide a forwarding element that detects and handles elephant flows. In detecting, the forwarding element of some embodiments monitors statistics or measurements relating to a data flow. In handling, the forwarding element marks each packet associated with a detected elephant flow in some manner to differentiate it from a packet associated with a mouse flow. Alternatively, the forwarding element of break elephant flows into a number mouse flow by facilitating in sending packets associated with the detected elephant flow along different paths.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system that detects whether a flow is an elephant flow; and if so, the system treats it differently than a mouse flow. The system of some embodiment detect elephants based on one or more of the following: statistics associated with a flow, packet segment size, and invoked system calls. Also, some embodiments use one or more various methods to handle elephant flows. Examples of such methods include marking each packet belonging to an elephant with a particular marking, breaking the elephants into mice, reporting the elephant to a network controller, and selectively choosing a route for each packet belonging to the elephant.

Abstract: A control system that includes several controllers for managing several switching elements. A first controller receives a request to modify a data tuple stored in a network information base (NIB) storage of the first controller that stores data for managing a set of switching elements. The first controller determines whether the received request to modify should be processed by the first controller. When the received request should be modified by the first controller, the first controller modifies the set of data in the NIB storage. The first controller updates a request list that is propagated between the controllers to disseminate requests to modify different data tuples that are stored in the NIB storages of the different controllers.

Abstract: For a network that includes several managed edge switching elements and several managed non-edge switching elements that are for implementing a logical switching element, some embodiments provide a method of distributing packet processing across the several managed non-edge switching elements. The method receives a packet for processing through the logical switching element. Based on a determination that the packet needs to be processed by a managed non-edge switching element, the method determines a particular managed non-edge switching element of the several managed non-edge switching elements to forward the packet. The method forwards the packet to the particular managed non-edge switching element for the particular managed non-edge switching element to process the packet.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network architecture that includes several lower level managed switching elements for forwarding network data to several of network hosts. The network architecture includes a set of higher level managed switching elements. The several lower level managed switching elements and the set of higher level managed switching elements implement several logical datapath sets. Communication channels are established among the several lower level managed switching elements and the set of higher level managed switching elements based on a mesh topology.

Abstract: A method for upgrading a set of controller nodes in a controller cluster that manages a plurality of forwarding elements in a way that minimizes dataplane outages. The method of some embodiments upgrades the control applications of a subset of the controller nodes before upgrading a decisive controller node. Once the decisive controller node is upgraded, the method switches the controller cluster to use a new version of the control applications.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a robust scaling-out of network functionality by providing a software layer, called the network hypervisor, that sits between the network forwarding functions (i.e., the forwarding plane) and the network control interfaces (i.e., the control plane). The network hypervisor of some embodiments provides a logical abstraction of the network's forwarding functionality, so that network operators make their control decisions in terms of this abstraction, independent of the details of the underlying networking hardware. The network hypervisor of some embodiments may then “compile” commands placed against this abstraction into configurations of the underlying hardware. Accordingly, in some embodiments, there are two design challenges: (1) the choice of the network abstraction, and (2) the technology needed to compile the logical “abstract” controls into low-level configurations.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of tunneling a data packet by encapsulating the data packet with a protocol header and specifying information in the fields of the header in a manner that a network switch can offload processing tasks to its network interface controller. The switch on a transmit side sends the processed data packet through the tunnel to another switch on a receive side. The two sides represent the two ends of the tunnel established between the two switches. Each of the transmit and received side switches is controlled by a switch controller, which in some embodiments is implemented as software. The switch controllers and network interface controllers together process the data packet which is being transferred through the tunnel between the switches.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel method of tunneling data packets. The method establishes a tunnel between a first forwarding element and a second forwarding element. For each data packet directed to the second forwarding element from the first forwarding element, the method encapsulates the data packet with a header that includes a tunnel option. The method then sends the data packet from the first forwarding element to the second forwarding element through the established tunnel. In some embodiments, the data packet is encapsulated using a protocol that is adapted to change with different control plane implementations and the implementations' varying needs for metadata.

Abstract: A particular network controller receives a first set of inputs from the first controller and a second set of inputs from the second controller. The particular controller then starts to compute a set of outputs using the first set of inputs. After a failure of the first controller, the particular controller receives a third set of inputs from the second controller. The third set of inputs and the first or second set of inputs makes up a group of inputs for being processed together and separately from another group of inputs. The particular controller then receives an indicator from the second controller, which indicates that all inputs of the group of inputs have arrived at the particular controller. After receiving the indicator and after computing the set of outputs completely, the particular controller sends the set of outputs to a fourth controller or to a managed forwarding element.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a distributed control system for controlling managed switching elements of a network. The distributed control system comprises a first controller for converting a first set of input logical control plane data to a first set of output logical forwarding plane data. It also includes a second controller for converting a second set of input logical control plane data to a second set of output logical forwarding plane data. The logical forwarding plane data is translated into physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of tunneling a data packet by encapsulating the data packet with a protocol header and specifying information in the fields of the header in a manner that a network switch can offload processing tasks to its network interface controller. The switch on a transmit side sends the processed data packet through the tunnel to another switch on a receive side. The two sides represent the two ends of the tunnel established between the two switches. Each of the transmit and received side switches is controlled by a switch controller, which in some embodiments is implemented as software. The switch controllers and network interface controllers together process the data packet which is being transferred through the tunnel between the switches.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a network virtualizer for managing several managed switching elements that forward data in a network. The virtualizer includes an interface for receiving input logical forwarding plane data. It also includes a converter for converting the input logical forwarding plane data to output physical control plane data. In some embodiments, the physical control plane data is translation into physical forwarding plane data that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for managing several managed switching elements in a network. The method determines configurations for the several managed switching elements to implement a first logical data path set. Based on the determined configurations, the method configures a first set of the several managed switching elements to implement the first logical data path set. The method configures a second set of the several managed switching elements to implement a second logical data path set.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a controller for managing a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data through a network. The controller comprising a first set of tables for storing input logical control plane data, and a second set of tables for storing output logical forwarding plane data. It also includes a table mapping engine for mapping the input logical control plane data in the first set of tables to output logical forwarding plane data in the second set of tables by performing a set of database join operations on the input logical control plane data in the first set of tables. The logical forwarding plane data is subsequently translated into physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a controller for managing several managed switching elements that forward data in a network. The controller includes an interface for receiving input logical control plane data. It also includes a converter for converting the input logical control plane data to output logical forwarding plane data. The logical forwarding plane data for subsequent translation into a set of physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a virtualizer for managing a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data through a network. The virtualizer comprises a first set of tables for storing input logical forwarding plane data and a second set of tables for storing output physical control plane data. It also includes a table mapping engine for mapping the input logical forwarding plane data in the first set of tables to output physical control plane data in the second set of tables by performing a set of database join operations on the input logical forwarding plane data in the first set of tables. In some embodiments, the physical control plane data is subsequently translated into physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a distributed control system for controlling managed switching elements of a network. The distributed control system comprises a first network virtualizer for converting a first set of input logical forwarding plane data to a first set of output physical control plane data. It also includes a second network virtualizer for converting a second set of input logical forwarding plane data to a second set of output physical control plane data. In some embodiments, the physical control plane data is translated into physical forwarding behaviors that direct the forwarding of data by the managed switching elements.

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.