Abstract: Example methods are provided for a destination host to implement a firewall in a virtualized computing environment that includes the destination host and a source host. The method may comprise receiving, via a physical network interface controller (PNIC) of the destination host, an ingress packet sent by the source host. The ingress packet may be destined for a destination virtualized computing instance that is supported by the destination host and associated with a destination virtual network interface controller (VNIC). The method may further comprise retrieving a PNIC-level firewall rule associated with the destination virtualized computing instance, the PNIC-level firewall rule being applicable at the PNIC and generated by based on a VNIC-level firewall rule applicable at the destination VNIC. In response to determination that the PNIC-level firewall rule blocks the ingress packet from passing through, the ingress packet may be dropped such that the ingress packet is not sent to the destination VNIC.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a local network controller that manages a first managed forwarding element (MFE) operating to forward traffic on a host machine for several logical networks and configures the first MFE to forward traffic for a set of containers operating within a container virtual machine (VM) that connects to the first MFE. The local network controller receives, from a centralized network controller, logical network configuration information for a logical network to which the set of containers logically connect. The local network controller receives, from the container VM, a mapping of a tag value used by a second MFE operating on the container VM to a logical forwarding element of the logical network to which the set of containers connect. The local network controller configures the first MFE to apply the logical network configuration information to data messages received from the container VM that are tagged with the tag value.

Abstract: For a managed network including multiple host machines implementing multiple logical networks, some embodiments provide a method that reduces the memory and traffic load required to implement the multiple logical networks. The method generates configuration data for each of multiple host machines including (i) data to configure a host machine to implement a set of logical forwarding elements that belong to a set of routing domains and (ii) identifiers for each routing domain in the set of routing domains. The method then receives data regarding tunnels endpoints operating on each of the host machines and an association with the routing identifiers sent to the host machines. The method then generates a routing domain tunnel endpoint list for each routing domain based on the data received from each of the host machines including a list of the tunnel endpoints associated with the routing domain which the host machines can use to facilitate packet processing.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for monitoring a container cluster that includes multiple nodes on which application resources are deployed. The method deploys an agent on each node of a set of nodes of the cluster. Each agent is for configuring a logical network on the node to which the agent is deployed. The method monitors status of the deployed agents. Upon detection that a particular agent on a particular node is no longer operating correctly, the method prevents a container cluster control plane from deploying application resources to the particular node.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing data traffic monitoring. For each packet processing stage of a set of packet processing stages in a packet processing pipeline, the method determines whether a packet received by the packet processing pipeline specifies a set of monitoring actions to be performed on the packet. When the packet specifies a set of monitoring action, the method determines whether the monitoring actions in the set are supported by the packet processing stage. The method executes the supported monitoring actions on the packet in addition to processing the packet according to configuration data for the stage.

Abstract: A method of creating containers in a physical host that includes a managed forwarding element (MFE) configured to forward packets to and from a set of data compute nodes (DCNs) hosted by the physical host. The method creates a container DCN in the host. The container DCN includes a virtual network interface card (VNIC) configured to exchange packets with the MFE. The method creates a plurality of containers in the container DCN. The method, for each container in the container DCN, creates a corresponding port on the MFE. The method sends packets addressed to each of the plurality of containers from the corresponding MFE port to the VNIC of the container DCN.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for dynamically exchanging runtime state data between datacenters with a gateway using a controller bridge is disclosed. In an embodiment, the method comprises: receiving one or more first runtime state data from one or more logical sharding central control planes (“CCPs”) controlling one or more logical sharding hosts; receiving one or more second runtime state data from a gateway that is controlled by a CCP that also controls one or more physical sharding hosts; aggregating to aggregated runtime state data, the one or more first runtime state data received from the one or more logical sharding CCPs and the one or more second runtime state data received from the gateway; determining updated runtime state data based on the aggregated runtime state data, the one or more first runtime state data, and the one or more second runtime state data; and transmitting the updated runtime state data to at least one of the one or more logical sharding CCPs and the gateway.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for assigning a routing domain identifier in a logical network environment that includes one or more logical distributed routers and one or more logical switches. In one example, the method may comprise obtaining network topology information specifying how the one or more logical distributed routers are connected with the one or more logical switches; and selecting, from the one or more logical switches, a particular logical switch for which routing domain identifier assignment is required. The method may also comprise: identifying a particular logical distributed router that is connected with the particular logical switch based on the network topology information; assigning the particular logical switch with the routing domain identifier that is associated with the particular logical distributed router; and using the routing domain identifier in a communication between a management entity and a host.

Abstract: Example methods and systems are provided for cross-cloud connectivity checks. One example method may include detecting a first connectivity check packet that is addressed from a first virtualized computing instance deployed in a first cloud environment; and determining that the first connectivity check packet is destined for a second virtualized computing instance in a second cloud environment reachable via the network device. The method may also comprise: generating a second connectivity check packet by modifying the first connectivity check packet to include one or more indicators that a connectivity check is required along a datapath towards the second virtualized computing instance in the second cloud environment. The method may further comprise: sending the second connectivity check packet to cause one or more observation points along the datapath to, based on the one or more indicators, generate and send report information associated with the second connectivity packet.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of aggregating and providing packet metrics collected during a live packet monitoring session performed for packets matching a specified set of characteristics. The method receives, from one or more computing devices that process packets during the live packet monitoring session, multiple metrics associated with a set of packets matching the specified set of characteristics. Metrics associated with each packet in the set are accompanied by a packet identifier (ID) used to tag the packet by an initial computing device that processed the packet. The method uses the accompanying packet IDs to aggregate the received plurality of metrics. The method provides (i) an aggregated set of session metrics for the set of packets matching the specified set of characteristics during the live packet monitoring session and (ii) individual packet metrics using the packet IDs for at least one packet in the set of packets.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a destination host to implement a firewall in a virtualized computing environment that includes the destination host and a source host. The method may comprise receiving, via a physical network interface controller (PNIC) of the destination host, an ingress packet sent by the source host. The ingress packet may be destined for a destination virtualized computing instance that is supported by the destination host and associated with a destination virtual network interface controller (VNIC). The method may further comprise retrieving a PNIC-level firewall rule associated with the destination virtualized computing instance, the PNIC-level firewall rule being applicable at the PNIC and generated by based on a VNIC-level firewall rule applicable at the destination VNIC. In response to determination that the PNIC-level firewall rule blocks the ingress packet from passing through, the ingress packet may be dropped such that the ingress packet is not sent to the destination VNIC.

Abstract: The method of some embodiments allocates a secondary network interface for a pod, which has a primary network interface, in a container network operating on an underlying logical network. The method receives an ND that designates a network segment. The method receives the pod, wherein the pod includes an identifier of the ND. The method then creates a secondary network interface for the pod and connects the secondary network interface to the network segment. In some embodiments, the pods include multiple ND identifiers that each identify a network segment. The method of such embodiments creates multiple secondary network interfaces and attaches the multiple network segments to the multiple secondary network interfaces.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for deploying network elements for a set of machines in a set of one or more datacenters. The datacenter set is part of one availability zone in some embodiments. The method receives intent-based API (Application Programming Interface) requests, and parses these API requests to identify a set of network elements to connect and/or perform services for the set of machines. In some embodiments, the API is a hierarchical document that can specify multiple different compute and/or network elements at different levels of compute and/or network element hierarchy. The method performs automated processes to define a virtual private cloud (VPC) to connect the set of machines to a logical network that segregates the set of machines from other machines in the datacenter set. In some embodiments, the set of machines include virtual machines and containers, the VPC is defined with a supervisor cluster namespace, and the API requests are provided as YAML, files.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for managing access to network security policies. One of the methods includes determining, for a policy access request i) received from a device and ii) that requests access to a network security policy that defines a rule for controlling network traffic, whether there is an entitlement for the network security policy, wherein the entitlement indicates one or more types of operations that a subset of user accounts can perform on the network security policy; in response to determining that there is an entitlement, determining, using a mapping for the entitlement that identifies the subset of user accounts that have access to the network security policy, whether a user account for the device is included in the subset of user accounts; and selectively allowing or denying the policy access request using the entitlement and a result of the determination.

Abstract: An administrator agent and local worker agents are provided in nodes of a distributed system to support dynamic tracing of runtime data. Trace profiles are associated with the nodes on which the local worker agents reside. The local worker agents monitor the runtime data for an error, and the administrator agent adjusts the trace profile(s) in response to the error(s). The administrator agent sends the adjusted trace profile(s) to the local worker agents, so as to enable trace output data of traces performed by the nodes to be increased or decreased.

Abstract: Example methods and systems are provided for simulation-based cross-cloud connectivity checks. One example method may include injecting a connectivity check packet in a first cloud environment, and obtaining first report information associated with a first stage of forwarding the connectivity check packet from one or more first observation points in the first cloud environment. The method may also comprise: based on configuration information associated with one or more second observation points in the second cloud environment, simulating a second stage of forwarding the connectivity check packet towards a second virtualized computing instance via the one or more second observation points. The method may further comprise: generating second report information associated with the simulated second stage to identify a connectivity status between a first virtualized computing instance and the second virtualized computing instance based on the first report information and the second report information.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for intent-based network virtualization design are disclosed. One example may comprise: obtaining configuration information and traffic information associated with multiple virtualized computing instances, processing the configuration information and traffic information to identify network connectivity intents and mapping the network connectivity intents to a logical network topology template. Based on a switching intent, a first group may be assigned to a logical network domain and the logical network topology template modified to include a logical switching element. Based on a routing intent, the logical network topology template may be modified to include a logical routing element. A logical network may be configured based on the modified logical network topology template to satisfy the switching intent and routing intent.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of aggregating and providing packet metrics collected during a live packet monitoring session performed for packets matching a specified set of characteristics. The method receives, from one or more computing devices that process packets during the live packet monitoring session, multiple metrics associated with a set of packets matching the specified set of characteristics. Metrics associated with each packet in the set are accompanied by a packet identifier (ID) used to tag the packet by an initial computing device that processed the packet. The method uses the accompanying packet IDs to aggregate the received plurality of metrics. The method provides (i) an aggregated set of session metrics for the set of packets matching the specified set of characteristics during the live packet monitoring session and (ii) individual packet metrics using the packet IDs for at least one packet in the set of packets.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to manage a dynamic deployment environment including one or more virtual machines is provided herein. A disclosed example includes involves: scanning, by executing a computer readable instruction with a processor, the virtual machines in the deployment environment to identify a service installed on any of the virtual machines; determining, by executing a computer readable instruction with the processor, the identified service corresponds to a service monitoring rule; determining, by executing a computer readable instruction with the processor, that a monitoring agent identified by the service monitoring rule is installed on the one or more virtual machines on which the service is installed; and configuring the monitoring agent, by executing a computer readable instruction with the processor, to monitor the service in accordance with the service monitoring rule on the at least one of the virtual machines on which the service is installed.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing data traffic monitoring. For each packet processing stage of a set of packet processing stages in a packet processing pipeline, the method determines whether a packet received by the packet processing pipeline specifies a set of monitoring actions to be performed on the packet. When the packet specifies a set of monitoring action, the method determines whether the monitoring actions in the set are supported by the packet processing stage. The method executes the supported monitoring actions on the packet in addition to processing the packet according to configuration data for the stage.