Abstract: A method of transmitting multicast traffic to workloads of tenants communicating over overlay networks provisioned on top of a physical network includes the steps of: detecting the multicast traffic; determining that the multicast traffic is bound for workloads of a first tenant and workloads of a second tenant; encapsulating one instance of the multicast traffic using a Layer 2 (L2) over Layer 3 (L3) encapsulation protocol to generate encapsulated traffic, wherein the encapsulated traffic includes an identifier of a first backplane network corresponding to the first tenant and an identifier of a second backplane network corresponding to the second tenant in a header portion of each packet of the encapsulated traffic; and transmitting, to a first host computing device, the encapsulated traffic with the identifiers of the first and second overlay networks.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for clustering a set of data compute nodes (DCNs), which communicate with each other more frequently, on one or more host machines. The method groups together guest DCNs (GDCNs) that (1) execute on different host machines and (2) exchange network data among themselves more frequently, in order to reduce interhost network traffic. The more frequently-communicating GDCNs can be a set of GDCNs that implement a distributed application, GDCNs of a particular tier in a multi-tier network architecture (e.g., a web tier in a three-tier architecture), GDCNs that are dedicated to a particular tenant in a hosting system, or any other set of GDCNs that exchange data among each other regularly for a particular purpose.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method adds a specific route for an IP address that is associated with a first workload into a routing table for a first network device in a first site in response to the first workload being migrated from a second site to the first site. The first network device receives a packet from a second workload for the first workload and determines that a destination of the packet matches the specific route in the routing table. The method routes the packet from the second workload to the first workload using the specific route in the routing table without sending the packet to the second site.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method determines when a packet is fragmented into multiple fragmented packets in a flow between a first workload and a second workload. The method switches from generating an outer source port in the outer header using layer 4 information from the inner header to using layer 3 information from the inner header. A fragmented packet is encapsulated with the outer header that includes an outer source port value that is generated using the layer 3 information. The method initiates a process to determine when to switch back to using layer 4 information from the inner header to generate the outer source port. When it is determined to switch back to using layer 4 information, the method switches back to using layer 4 information from the inner header to generate the source port in the outer header of a packet from the first workload.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for reducing congestion within a network, the network comprising a plurality of subnets, the plurality of subnets comprising a plurality of host machines and a plurality of virtual computing instances (VCIs) running on the plurality of host machines. Embodiments include receiving, by an edge services gateway (ESG) of a first subnet of the plurality of subnets, membership information for a group identifying a subset of the plurality of host machines. Embodiments include receiving a multicast packet directed to the group and selecting from the plurality of host machines, a replicator host machine for the multicast packet. Embodiments include sending, to the replicator host machine, the multicast packet along with metadata indicating that the replicator host machine is to replicate the multicast packet to remaining host machines of the subset of the plurality of host machines identified in the membership information for the group.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of forwarding data messages between source and destination host computers that execute source and destination machines. At a source computer on which a source machine for a data message flow executes, the method in some embodiments identifies a source tunnel endpoint group (TEPG) associated with the source machine. For the flow, the method selects one TEP of the TEPG as the source TEP. The method then uses the selected source TEP to forward the flow to the destination computer on which the destination machine executes.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method for performing services on a host computer that executes several data compute nodes (DCNs). The method receives, at a module executing on the host, a data message associated with a DCN executing on the host. The method supplies the data message to a service virtual machine (SVM) that executes on the host and on which several service containers execute. One or more of the service containers then perform a set of one or more services on the data message. The method then receives an indication from the SVM that the set of services has been performed on the data message.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of forwarding data messages between source and destination host computers that execute source and destination machines. At a source computer on which a source machine for a data message flow executes, the method in some embodiments identifies a source tunnel endpoint group (TEPG) associated with the source machine. For the flow, the method selects one TEP of the TEPG as the source TEP. The method then uses the selected source TEP to forward the flow to the destination computer on which the destination machine executes.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method of forwarding data messages between source and destination host computers that execute source and destination machines. At a source computer on which a source machine for a data message flow executes, the method in some embodiments identifies a source tunnel endpoint group (TEPG) associated with the source machine. For the flow, the method selects one TEP of the TEPG as the source TEP. The method then uses the selected source TEP to forward the flow to the destination computer on which the destination machine executes.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for allocating to tunnel endpoints to virtual machines on a host. In one example, a host identifies when a new virtual machine is coupled to a virtual switch and determines a tenant associated with the new virtual machine. The host further determines whether a tunnel endpoint is allocated to the tenant and, when a tunnel endpoint has not been allocated, allocates a new tunnel endpoint to the tenant and maps the new virtual machine to the new tunnel endpoint.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for forwarding multicast data messages at a forwarding element on a host computer. The method receives a multicast data message from a routing element executing on the host computer along with metadata appended to the multicast data message by the routing element. Based on a destination address of the multicast data message, the method identifies a set of recipient ports for a multicast group with which the multicast data message is associated. For each recipient port, the method uses the metadata appended to the multicast data message by the routing element to determine whether to deliver a copy of the multicast data message to the recipient port.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for deploying edge forwarding elements in a public or private software defined datacenter (SDDC). For an entity, the method deploys a default first edge forwarding element to process data message flows between machines of the entity in a first network of the SDDC and machines external to the first network of the SDDC. The method subsequently receives a request to allocate more bandwidth to a first set of the data message flows entering or exiting the first network of the SDDC. In response, the method deploys a second edge forwarding element to process the first set of data message flows of the entity in order to allocate more bandwidth to the first set of the data message flows, while continuing to process a second set of data message flows of the entity through the default first edge node.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide policy-driven methods for deploying edge forwarding elements in a public or private SDDC for tenants or applications. For instance, the method of some embodiments allows administrators to create different traffic groups for different applications and/or tenants, deploys edge forwarding elements for the different traffic groups, and configures forwarding elements in the SDDC to direct data message flows of the applications and/or tenants through the edge forwarding elements deployed for them. The policy-driven method of some embodiments also dynamically deploys edge forwarding elements in the SDDC for applications and/or tenants after detecting the need for the edge forwarding elements based on monitored traffic flow conditions.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for deploying edge forwarding elements in a public or private software defined datacenter (SDDC). For an entity, the method deploys a default first edge forwarding element to process data message flows between machines of the entity in a first network of the SDDC and machines external to the first network of the SDDC. The method subsequently receives a request to allocate more bandwidth to a first set of the data message flows entering or exiting the first network of the SDDC. In response, the method deploys a second edge forwarding element to process the first set of data message flows of the entity in order to allocate more bandwidth to the first set of the data message flows, while continuing to process a second set of data message flows of the entity through the default first edge node.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method provides mechanisms for identifying a source location in a service chaining topology. In an embodiment, a method comprises: determining, at an egress interface of a host that hosts a virtual machine (“VM”), whether a service plane MAC address (“spmac”) in a packet header of a packet, provided to the egress interface, is the same as an inner destination MAC address in the packet; in response to determining that the spmac in the packet header of the packet, provided to the egress interface, is the same as the inner destination MAC address in the packet: encapsulating the packet with a destination virtual tunnel endpoint (“VTEP”) address retrieved from a mapping of VTEP-labels onto VTEP addresses; and causing providing the packet from the egress interface of the host that hosts the VM to a source host that hosts a source guest virtual machine (“GVM”).

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method for performing services on a host computer that executes several data compute nodes (DCNs). The method receives, at a module executing on the host, a data message associated with a DCN executing on the host. The method supplies the data message to a service virtual machine (SVM) that executes on the host and on which several service containers execute. One or more of the service containers then perform a set of one or more services on the data message. The method then receives an indication from the SVM that the set of services has been performed on the data message.

Abstract: The technology disclosed herein enables a dynamic chain of service functions for processing network traffic. In a particular embodiment, a method includes, in a logical router for a logical network connecting service functions, receiving a network packet from a service function over the logical network after the network packet has been processed by the service function. The method further includes determining a new classification of the network packet and determining a next service function based on application of a service chain policy to the new classification. The method also includes directing the network packet to the next service function over the logical network.

Abstract: A method for offloading multicast replication from multiple tiers of edge nodes implemented by multiple host machines to a physical switch is provided. Each of the multiple host machines implements a provider edge node and a tenant edge node. One host machine among the multiple host machines receives a packet having an overlay multicast group identifier. The host machine maps the overlay multicast group identifier to an underlay multicast group identifier. The host machine encapsulates the packet with an encapsulation header that includes the underlay multicast group identifier to create an encapsulated packet. The host machine forwards the encapsulated packet to a physical switch of the network segment. The physical switch forwards copies of the encapsulated packet to tenant edge nodes at one or more ports that are determined to be interested in the underlay multicast group identifier.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide policy-driven methods for deploying edge forwarding elements in a public or private SDDC for tenants or applications. For instance, the method of some embodiments allows administrators to create different traffic groups for different applications and/or tenants, deploys edge forwarding elements for the different traffic groups, and configures forwarding elements in the SDDC to direct data message flows of the applications and/or tenants through the edge forwarding elements deployed for them. The policy-driven method of some embodiments also dynamically deploys edge forwarding elements in the SDDC for applications and/or tenants after detecting the need for the edge forwarding elements based on monitored traffic flow conditions.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for forwarding multicast data messages at a forwarding element on a host computer. The method receives a multicast data message from a routing element executing on the host computer along with metadata appended to the multicast data message by the routing element. Based on a destination address of the multicast data message, the method identifies a set of recipient ports for a multicast group with which the multicast data message is associated. For each recipient port, the method uses the metadata appended to the multicast data message by the routing element to determine whether to deliver a copy of the multicast data message to the recipient port.