Abstract: A method of automatically identifying state information in different middlebox programs first identifies relevant program portions by expanding outward from a packet processing loop to statements dependent either by control or data dependency on that packet processing loop. Persistent variables in the statements are then collected and optionally winnowed by whether they are “used” or modified by those statements. The identified state variables may be segregated according to flow-spaces and/or output function so that a request for state data may be tailored precisely to the necessary state data greatly reducing network burden in state data transfer.

Abstract: A method of automatically identifying state information in different middlebox programs first identifies relevant program portions by expanding outward from a packet processing loop to statements dependent either by control or data dependency on that packet processing loop. Persistent variables in the statements are then collected and optionally winnowed by whether they are “used” or modified by those statements. The identified state variables may be segregated according to flow-spaces and/or output function so that a request for state data may be tailored precisely to the necessary state data greatly reducing network burden in state data transfer.

Abstract: An enterprise computer system efficiently adjusts the number of middleboxes associated with the the enterprise, for example, with changes in demand, by transferring not only flows of instructions but also middlebox states associated with those flows. Loss-less transfer preventing the loss of packets and its state, and order-preserving transfer preserving packet ordering may be provided by a two-step transfer process in which packets are buffered during the transfer and are marked to be processed by a receiving middlebox before processing by that middlebox of ongoing packets for the given flow.

Abstract: An enterprise computer system efficiently adjusts the number of middleboxes associated with the the enterprise, for example, with changes in demand, by transferring not only flows of instructions but also middlebox states associated with those flows. Loss-less transfer preventing the loss of packets and its state, and order-preserving transfer preserving packet ordering may be provided by a two-step transfer process in which packets are buffered during the transfer and are marked to be processed by a receiving middlebox before processing by that middlebox of ongoing packets for the given flow.

Abstract: A virtual network virtual machine may be implemented on a cloud computing facility to control communication among virtual machines executing applications and virtual machines executing middlebox functions. This virtual network virtual machine may provide for automatic scaling of middleboxes according to a heuristic algorithm that monitors the effectiveness of each middlebox on the network performance as application virtual machines are scaled. The virtual machine virtual network may also locate virtual machines in actual hardware to further optimize performance.

Abstract: A virtual network virtual machine may be implemented on a cloud computing facility to control communication among virtual machines executing applications and virtual machines executing middlebox functions. This virtual network virtual machine may provide for automatic scaling of middleboxes according to a heuristic algorithm that monitors the effectiveness of each middlebox on the network performance as application virtual machines are scaled. The virtual machine virtual network may also locate virtual machines in actual hardware to further optimize performance.