Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for processing data messages for routable subnets of a logical network, the logical network implemented by a software-defined network (SDN) and connecting multiple machines. The method receives an inbound data message. The method performs a DNAT (destination network address translation) operation on the received data message to identify a record associated with a destination IP (Internet protocol) address of the data message. From the record, the method identifies a VLAN (virtual local area network) identifier, an LNI (logical network identifier), and a destination host computer IP address for the data message. The method encapsulates the data message with an outer header containing the destination host computer IP address and the VLAN identifier. The method forwards the encapsulated data message to the destination host computer.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing data traffic monitoring. The method processes a packet through a packet processing pipeline that includes multiple stages. At a filtering stage, the method tags the packet with a set of monitoring actions for subsequent stages to perform on the packet based on a determination that the packet matches a particular filter. For each stage of a set of packet processing stages subsequent to the filtering stage, the method (i) executes any monitoring actions specified for the stage to perform on the packet and (ii) sends the packet to a next stage in the packet processing pipeline.

Abstract: An example method of entitling software in a cloud includes: receiving, from an entitlement agent of the software, an entitlement request at a first entitlement proxy of an entitlement service executing in the cloud; determining, by the entitlement proxy, an entitlement of the software in response to the entitlement request based on an entitlement specification, the entitlement specification provided by an entitlement root of the entitlement service; and sending, by the entitlement proxy, the entitlement to the entitlement agent for application to the software.

Abstract: Data usage by networking and data processing services is measured using a timeslot system. The timeslots have multiple states for collecting, collecting with processing, and expired timeslots. Data from upstream components is reported to local manager clusters and placed into timeslots corresponding to a timestamp of the data. Data can be reported from local managers to an entitlement service and/or a cloud service portal. Timing inconsistencies due to latency or processing time can be resolved by accounting for a timestamp difference using a timestamp difference value between the timeslot time and the reporting time. Data can be deduplicated, cleaned, and/or compacted. Data can be also be version controlled, with timeslots maintaining a version number. Complete and accurate tracking of data usage and associated costs is improved by reporting and collecting usage data using state-based timeslots.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for performing dynamic packet tracing in a network that includes a network controller and multiple host computers, each host computer including a set of packet processing stages for processing packet flows in the network. The method is performed for each packet processing stage in the set of packet processing stages at a particular host computer in the network. The method provides to the packet processing stage a set of trace instructions for use in generating a set of trace data when processing packets belonging to a particular packet flow for which a packet tracing operation has been defined. The method receives from the packet processing stage the set of trace data generated during processing of a packet belonging to the particular packet flow.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for adding routable subnets to a logical network that connects multiple machines and is implemented by a software defined network (SDN). The method receives an intent-based API that includes a request to add a routable subnet to the logical network. The method defines (i) a VLAN (virtual local area network) tag associated with the routable subnet, (ii) a first identifier associated with a first logical switch to which at least a first machine in the multiple machines that executes a set of containers belonging to the routable subnet attaches, and (iii) a second identifier associated with a second logical switch designated for the routable subnet. The method generates an API call that maps the VLAN tag and the first identifier to the second identifier. The method provides the API call to a management and control cluster of the SDN.

Abstract: An example method of configuring an entitlement service that manages entitlement of software in a virtualized computing system includes: receiving, at a plug-in of the entitlement service, software component data that specifies a component type and offerings of the component type, the offerings associated with feature sets, the entitlement service executing on a cloud platform in the virtualized computing system; storing, by the plug-in, the software component data in a database; and notifying, by the plug-in, the entitlement service to support entitlement of components of the software having the component type.

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: Some embodiments provide a method of identifying packet latency in a software defined datacenter (SDDC) that includes a network and multiple host computers executing multiple machines. At a first host computer, the method identifies and stores (i) multiple time values associated with several packet processing operations performed on a particular packet sent by a first machine executing on the first host computer, and (ii) a time value associated with packet transmission through the SDDC network from the first host computer to a second host computer that is a destination of the particular packet. The method provides the stored time values to a set of one or more controllers to process to identify multiple latencies experienced by multiple packets processed in the SDDC.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing data traffic monitoring. The method processes a packet through a packet processing pipeline that includes multiple stages. At a filtering stage, the method tags the packet with a set of monitoring actions for subsequent stages to perform on the packet based on a determination that the packet matches a particular filter. For each stage of a set of packet processing stages subsequent to the filtering stage, the method (i) executes any monitoring actions specified for the stage to perform on the packet and (ii) sends the packet to a next stage in the packet processing pipeline.

Abstract: Example methods and systems to perform flow cache information update(s) for packet processing are described. In one example, a network element may configure flow cache information specifying a set of actions based on a sequence of stages that is executable during slow-path packet processing. The network element may configure dependency information specifying execution dependence or independence among the set of actions during fast-path packet processing. In response to detecting a configuration change associated with stage(s) from the sequence of stages, the network element may identify first action(s) affected by the configuration change and second action(s) not affected by the configuration change. This way, a granular update may be performed to the flow cache information by updating the at least one first action, but not the at least one second action.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for performing data traffic monitoring. The method processes a packet through a packet processing pipeline that includes multiple stages. At a filtering stage, the method tags the packet with a set of monitoring actions for subsequent stages to perform on the packet based on a determination that the packet matches a particular filter. For each stage of a set of packet processing stages subsequent to the filtering stage, the method (i) executes any monitoring actions specified for the stage to perform on the packet and (ii) sends the packet to a next stage in the packet processing pipeline.

Abstract: Example methods and systems for state consistency monitoring in a network environment are described. In one example, a computer system may identify association chain(s) that associate (a) first state information associated with one or more first network entities residing on a first plane with (b) second state information associated with one or more second network entities residing on a second plane. Based on the association chain(s), a consistency check may be performed to compare multiple first fields of the first state information with multiple second fields of the second state information. In response to determination that there is a state inconsistency based on the consistency check, a remediation action to address the state inconsistency by generating and sending at least one of the following: a notification to a user, and a remediation request to a particular first network entity residing on the first plane or a particular second network entity residing on the second plane.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for processing data messages for routable subnets of a logical network, the logical network implemented by a software-defined network (SDN) and connecting multiple machines. The method receives an inbound data message. The method performs a DNAT (destination network address translation) operation on the received data message to identify a record associated with a destination IP (Internet protocol) address of the data message. From the record, the method identifies a VLAN (virtual local area network) identifier, an LNI (logical network identifier), and a destination host computer IP address for the data message. The method encapsulates the data message with an outer header containing the destination host computer IP address and the VLAN identifier. The method forwards the encapsulated data message to the destination host computer.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for adding routable subnets to a logical network that connects multiple machines and is implemented by a software defined network (SDN). The method receives an intent-based API that includes a request to add a routable subnet to the logical network. The method defines (i) a VLAN (virtual local area network) tag associated with the routable subnet, (ii) a first identifier associated with a first logical switch to which at least a first machine in the multiple machines that executes a set of containers belonging to the routable subnet attaches, and (iii) a second identifier associated with a second logical switch designated for the routable subnet. The method generates an API call that maps the VLAN tag and the first identifier to the second identifier. The method provides the API call to a management and control cluster of the SDN to direct the management and control cluster to implement the routable subnet.

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 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: 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: 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: 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.