Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. In some embodiments, these manifests are application specific. Also, in some embodiments, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance the implementation of communication rules in a computing network. In one example, a method of operating a communication settings system maintains communication rules for a plurality of networks, wherein the communication rules define forwarding actions for ingress and egress packets to and from applications in the plurality of computing networks. The service further identifies a configuration request from a computing network with applications executing in the computing network, identifies a subset of the communication rules based on the plurality of applications, and provides the subset of the communication rules to the computing network.

Abstract: Techniques for providing application-independent access control in a cloud-services computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, a method for providing application-independent access control is provided. The method includes obtaining a user identity for accessing the cloud-services computing environment and receiving a user request to perform a task using an application. The method further includes collecting process-related data for performing the task using the application and obtaining one or more network routing addresses. The method further includes determining, based on the user identity, the process-related data, and the one or more network routing addresses, whether the task is to be performed. If that the task is to be performed, the task is caused to be performed using the application; and if the task is not to be performed, the user request is denied.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance the implementation of communication rules in a computing network. In one example, a method of operating a communication settings system maintains communication rules for a plurality of networks, wherein the communication rules define forwarding actions for ingress and egress packets to and from applications in the plurality of computing networks. The service further identifies a configuration request from a computing network with applications executing in the computing network, identifies a subset of the communication rules based on the plurality of applications, and provides the subset of the communication rules to the computing network.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and software to enhance the implementation of communication rules in a computing network. In one example, a method of operating a communication settings system maintains communication rules for a plurality of networks, wherein the communication rules define forwarding actions for ingress and egress packets to and from applications in the plurality of computing networks. The service further identifies a configuration request from a computing network with applications executing in the computing network, identifies a subset of the communication rules based on the plurality of applications, and provides the subset of the communication rules to the computing network.

Abstract: A system and method for performing firewall operations on an edge service gateway virtual machine that monitors traffic for a network. The method includes detecting, from a directory service executing on a computing device, a login event on the computing device, obtaining, from the detected login event, login event information comprising an identifier that identifies a user associated with the login event, storing the login event information as one or more context attributes in an attribute table, and applying a firewall rule to a data message that corresponds to the one or more context attributes.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. In some embodiments, these manifests are application specific. Also, in some embodiments, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel architecture for providing context-aware middlebox services at the edge of a physical datacenter. In some embodiments, the middlebox service engines run in an edge host (e.g., an NSX Edge) that provides routing services and connectivity to external networks (e.g., networks external to an NSX-T deployment). Some embodiments use a novel architecture for capturing contextual attributes on host computers that execute one or more machines and providing the captured contextual attributes to context-aware middlebox service engines providing the context-aware middlebox services. In some embodiments, a context header insertion processor uses contextual attributes to generate a header including data regarding the contextual attributes (a “context header”) that is used to encapsulate a data message that is processed by the SFE and sent to the context-aware middlebox service engine.

Abstract: A simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. These manifests are application specific. Also, in some cases, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel architecture for capturing contextual attributes on host computers that execute one or more machines and providing the captured contextual attributes to middlebox service engines executing at the edge of a physical datacenter. In some embodiments, the middlebox service engines run in an edge host (e.g., an NSX Edge) that provides routing services and connectivity to external networks (e.g., networks external to an NSX-T deployment). Some embodiments execute a context header insertion processor that receives contextual attributes relating to network events and/or process events on the machines collected using a guest-introspection (GI) agent on each machine. In some embodiments, the context header insertion processor uses these contextual attributes to generate a header including data regarding the contextual attributes (a “context header”) that is used to encapsulate a data message that is processed by the SFE.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a first host to perform context-aware network mapping a software-defined networking (SDN) environment. One example method may comprise: detecting multiple packet flows that include an egress packet flow originating from a first endpoint and destined for a second host, and an ingress packet flow originating from a second host or a third host and destined for the first endpoint or a second endpoint. The method may also comprise: in response to detecting the egress packet flow, obtaining first packet flow information and first context information; in response to detecting the ingress packet flow, obtaining second packet header information and second context information; and generating network map information that identifies the egress packet flow based on the first packet flow information and first context information, and the ingress packet flow based on the second packet flow information and second context information.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for performing services on an endpoint machine in a datacenter. On the endpoint machine, the method installs a guest introspection (GI) agent and a service engine. In some embodiments, the GI agent and the service engine are part of one monitor agent that is installed on the endpoint machine. The method then registers with a set of one or more notification services on the endpoint machine, the GI agent to receive notifications regarding new data message flow events on the endpoint machine. Through the notifications, the GI agent captures contextual data items regarding new data message flows, and stores the captured contextual data items. The service engine then performs a service for the data message flow based on the captured contextual data.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for performing services on an endpoint machine in a datacenter. On the endpoint machine, the method installs a guest introspection (GI) agent and a service engine. In some embodiments, the GI agent and the service engine are part of one monitor agent that is installed on the endpoint machine. The method then registers with a set of one or more notification services on the endpoint machine, the GI agent to receive notifications regarding new data message flow events on the endpoint machine. Through the notifications, the GI agent captures contextual data items regarding new data message flows, and stores the captured contextual data items. The service engine then performs a service for the data message flow based on the captured contextual data.

Abstract: Techniques for providing application-independent access control in a cloud-services computing environment are provided. In one embodiment, a method for providing application-independent access control is provided. The method includes obtaining a user identity for accessing the cloud-services computing environment and receiving a user request to perform a task using an application. The method further includes collecting process-related data for performing the task using the application and obtaining one or more network routing addresses. The method further includes determining, based on the user identity, the process-related data, and the one or more network routing addresses, whether the task is to be performed. If that the task is to be performed, the task is caused to be performed using the application; and if the task is not to be performed, the user request is denied.

Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables the micro-segmentation of a network without agents. In a particular embodiment, a method provides, in a packet-handler controller of a virtual computing environment, determining one or more policies in a first format that identify one or more packet characteristics and how packets with the one or more packet characteristics should be handled within the virtual computing environment. The method further provides converting the one or more policies from the first format to a second format used by a domain controller for one or more computing systems outside of the virtual computing environment. Also, the method provides distributing the one or more policies in the second format to at least one of the one or more computing systems.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. In some embodiments, these manifests are application specific. Also, in some embodiments, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. In some embodiments, these manifests are application specific. Also, in some embodiments, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a simplified mechanism to deploy and control a multi-segmented application by using application-based manifests that express how application segments of the multi-segment application are to be defined or modified, and how the communication profiles between these segments. In some embodiments, these manifests are application specific. Also, in some embodiments, deployment managers in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) provide these manifests as templates to administrators, who can use these templates to express their intent when they are deploying multi-segment applications in the datacenter. Application-based manifests can also be used to control previously deployed multi-segmented applications in the SDDC. Using such manifests would enable the administrators to be able to manage fine grained micro-segmentation rules based on endpoint and network attributes.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a first host to perform context-aware network mapping a software-defined networking (SDN) environment. One example method may comprise: detecting multiple packet flows that include an egress packet flow originating from a first endpoint and destined for a second host, and an ingress packet flow originating from a second host or a third host and destined for the first endpoint or a second endpoint. The method may also comprise: in response to detecting the egress packet flow, obtaining first packet flow information and first context information; in response to detecting the ingress packet flow, obtaining second packet header information and second context information; and generating network map information that identifies the egress packet flow based on the first packet flow information and first context information, and the ingress packet flow based on the second packet flow information and second context information.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method for determining feature utilization in a software-defined network, an available feature set for the software-defined network is determined, wherein the available feature set is based on a version of the software-defined network. Features enabled on the software-defined network are determined. The features enabled in the software-defined network are compared to the available feature set. A network profile score is generated based on the comparing, where the network profile score includes constituent feature scores for features of the available feature set. The network profile score is presented in a graphical user interface, the network profile score providing an indication of feature utilization of the available feature set, where the graphical user interface allows for receiving a user interaction for presenting the constituent feature scores for the features of the available feature set responsive to the user interaction.