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: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to handling a hypervisor restart event in a distributed network system. Embodiments include receiving, by a central controller, a session identifier from a first hypervisor. Embodiments further include comparing, by the central controller, the session identifier to a stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor. Embodiments further include determining, by the central controller based on the session identifier not matching the stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor, that the first hypervisor has restarted. Embodiments further include updating, by the central controller, the stored session identifier associated with the first hypervisor to match the session identifier. Embodiments further include identifying, by the central controller, a second hypervisor that is associated with the first hypervisor.

Abstract: A novel method of conducting multicast traffic in a network is provided. The network includes multiple endpoints that receive messages from the network and generate messages for the network. The endpoints are located in different segments of the network, each segment including one or more of the endpoints. For a source endpoint to replicate a particular message (e.g., a data packet) for all endpoints belonging to a particular replication group (i.e., multicast group) within the network, the source endpoint replicates the particular message to each endpoint within the source endpoint's own segment and to a proxy endpoint in each of the other segments. Each proxy endpoint in turn replicates the particular message to all endpoints belonging to the particular replication group within the proxy endpoint's own segment.

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: Example methods are provided for a first host to handle control-plane connectivity loss in a virtualized computing environment that includes the first host, multiple second hosts and a network management entity. The method may comprise: detecting a loss of control-plane connectivity between the first host and the network management entity; and generating a request message for control information that the first host is unable to obtain from the network management entity. The method may also comprise sending the request message via a peer-to-peer network that connects the first host with the multiple second hosts; and obtaining the control information from a response message that is sent by at least one of the multiple second hosts.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for diagnosing a logical network that includes several logical forwarding elements (LFEs) that logically connects a number of data compute nodes (DCNs) to each other. The method identifies a set of LFEs that logically connects a first DCN of the several DCNs to a second DCN. The method also identifies a transport node that couples to the first DCN and implements the set of LFEs. The method then, for each LFE in the set of LFEs (i) receives a first state of the LFE from the transport node, (ii) compares the first state of the LFE with a second state of the LFE that is received from a controller of the LFE, and (iii) reports the LFE as a problematic LFE along with the transport node and the controller of the LFE when the first and second states of the LFE do not match.

Abstract: A method (200) for scheduling cell quality measurements in a mobile receiver includes: receiving a downlink radio channel comprising system information (201) of a radio communication system; retrieving (202) at least one first parameter from the system information (201), the at least one first parameter specifying a criterion for performing cell quality measurements; retrieving (203) at least one second parameter from the system information (201), the at least one second parameter specifying a criterion for performing cell reselection; adapting (206) the at least one first parameter based on the at least one second parameter if the at least one first parameter is bigger than a derived threshold (205) or if the at least one first parameter is not provided (204) by the system information (201); and scheduling (207) the cell quality measurements based on the at least one adapted first parameter.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for a host to implement distributed network emulation in a virtualized computing environment. The method may comprise detecting one or more packets from a source network address associated with a source virtualized computing instance to a destination network address associated with a destination virtualized computing instance. The method may also comprise, in response to determination that a network emulation rule configured for the source virtualized computing instance and destination virtualized computing instance is applicable to the one or more packets, determining a physical network condition associated with a path between the source virtualized computing instance and destination virtualized computing instance. The method may further comprise emulating a desired network condition specified by the network emulation rule by performing an emulation action on the one or more packets.

Abstract: A method for a node to become a member of a cluster includes, when the node is in an initialization state, refraining from starting any service for the cluster, rejecting any reconfiguration request from a coordinator of the cluster, and determining if a local copy of a member list is out-of-date. When the local member list is up-to-date, the method includes advancing to an observer state or a participant state depending on if the node is in the member list. When the local copy of the member list is out-of-date, the method includes waiting to receive the member list, updating the local member list to be equal to the member list, persisting the local member list, recording the local member list as up-to-date, and advancing to an observer state or a participant state depending if the node is in the member list.

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to configuring a generic channel for exchanging information between a hypervisor and a virtual machine run by the hypervisor that resides on a host machine. In some embodiments, the generic channel represents a network or communication path enabled by a logical switch that connects a HyperBus running on the hypervisor and a node agent running on the virtual machine. In some embodiments, network traffic handled by the generic channel is isolated from incoming and outgoing network traffic between the virtual machine and one or more other virtual machines or hosts.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a managed hardware forwarding element (MHFE) controller that serves as an intermediary between one or more central controllers in a central control plane (CCP) cluster and one or more third-party hardware devices (e.g., physical switches and routers, applicances such as firewalls, load balancers, etc.). The MHFE controller of some embodiments uses (i) a first protocol to communicate with the CCP cluster and (ii) a second protocol to communicate with the one or more third-party devices managed by the MHFE controller, thereby enabling the CCP cluster to distribute logical network configuration information to the physical workloads (e.g., third-party servers connected to a third-party Top of Rack (TOR) switch).

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to consistent processing of transport node network configuration data in a physical sharding architecture. For example, in some embodiments a first central control plane (CCP) node of a plurality of CCP nodes determines a sharding table, which is shared by the plurality of CCP nodes. In certain embodiments, the first CCP node determines a connection establishment between a first transport node and the first CCP node. In some embodiments, if the first CCP node determines, based on the sharding table, that it is a physical master of the first transport node, the first CCP node receives network configuration data from the first transport node, stores at least a portion of the network configuration data, and transmits a data update comprising at least a portion of the network configuration data to a shared data store accessible by the plurality of CCP nodes.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for performing a connectivity check for multi-node application(s) in a virtualized computing environment. The method may comprise identifying a group of multiple virtualized computing instances that implements multi-node application(s), the group including a first virtualized computing instance supported by the first host that requires connectivity with a second virtualized computing instance supported by the second host. The method may also comprise configuring the first host to generate and send a connectivity check packet to the second host; and based on report information from one or more entities along a path traversed by the connectivity check packet, determining a connectivity status associated with the first virtualized computing instance and the second virtualized computing instance.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for diagnosing a logical network that includes several logical forwarding elements (LFEs) that logically connects a number of data compute nodes (DCNs) to each other. The method identifies a set of LFEs that logically connects a first DCN of the several DCNs to a second DCN. The method also identifies a transport node that couples to the first DCN and implements the set of LFEs. The method then, for each LFE in the set of LFEs (i) receives a first state of the LFE from the transport node, (ii) compares the first state of the LFE with a second state of the LFE that is received from a controller of the LFE, and (iii) reports the LFE as a problematic LFE along with the transport node and the controller of the LFE when the first and second states of the LFE do not match.

Abstract: Example methods are provided for first host to perform multicast packet handling in a software-defined networking (SDN) environment. The method may comprise: in response to the first host detecting, from a first virtualized computing instance, a request to join a multicast group address, obtaining control information from a network management entity. The control information may include one or more destination addresses associated with one or more second hosts that have joined the multicast group address on behalf of multiple second virtualized computing instances. The method may also comprise: in response to the first host detecting an egress multicast packet that includes an inner header addressed to the multicast group address, generating one or more encapsulated multicast packets based on the control information and sending the one or more encapsulated multicast packets in a unicast manner or multicast manner, or a combination of both.

Abstract: A method is provided for a coordinator to manage cluster membership. In a stable state, the coordinator provides a member list to all the nodes in a node list. The member list includes nodes that are cluster members. The node list includes nodes that are or wish to be members of the cluster. When the node list differs from the member list, the coordinator advances to a reconfiguration state to change the membership of the cluster. In the reconfiguration state, the coordinator sends a reconfiguration request to all the nodes in the node list. When reconfiguration acknowledgements are received from all the nodes within a timeout period, the coordinator updates the member list to be equal to the node list, persists the updated member list, sends a reconfiguration confirmation including the updated member list to all the nodes in the node list, and returns to the stable state.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for a network controller. The method receives network configuration data including an association of an entity configuration profile set with a logical network entity. The entity configuration profile set is a group of at least two entity configuration profiles for different types of settings to apply to logical network entities with which the entity configuration profile set is associated. The method identifies a host machine at which the logical network entity is implemented. The method distributes the entity configuration profile set and each of the at least two entity configuration profiles to the identified host machine.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for a network controller. The method receives network configuration data including an association of an entity configuration profile to a logical entity group that references at least two logical network entities. The entity configuration profile includes a set of configuration settings to apply to logical network entities with which the entity configuration profile is associated. The method associates the entity configuration profile with the logical network entities referenced by the logical entity group. Based on the associations of the entity configuration profile with the logical network entities, the method determines multiple host machines that require the configuration data for the entity configuration profile. The method distributes the entity configuration profile to the host machines.

Abstract: A method of determining the span of logical entities in a network is provided. The method generates a directed graph. Each node of the graph corresponds to a logical network entity. Each edge of the graph has one or two directions. A direction from a first node to a second node identifies the first node as the source of span for the second node. The method determines the span of each node based on the direction of the edges of the directed graph. The method groups each set of nodes that are accessible by all other nodes in the set in a strongly connected group (SCC) sub-graph. The method generates a group node in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to correspond to each SCC sub-graph in the directed graph. The method assigns the span of each SCC to the corresponding group node of the DAG.

Abstract: Certain embodiments described herein are generally directed to configuring a generic channel for exchanging information between a hypervisor and a virtual machine run by the hypervisor that resides on a host machine. In some embodiments, the generic channel represents a network or communication path enabled by a logical switch that connects a HyperBus running on the hypervisor and a node agent running on the virtual machine. In some embodiments, network traffic handled by the generic channel is isolated from incoming and outgoing network traffic between the virtual machine and one or more other virtual machines or hosts.