Abstract: A network switch is provided that has an enhanced interface wherein an integrated circuit device is provided that facilitates the delivery of enhanced status information from the network switch. This integrated circuit, illustratively, a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or programmable logic device (PLD) such as a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), facilitates the delivery of enhanced status indicator information in conjunction with the resident networking switch semiconductor device (i.e., an Ethernet switch or PHY device). The enhanced status indicator information is conveyed using more LEDs (i.e., more than the resident networking semiconductor device contains by itself), and thus more information can be displayed and conveyed by such LEDs.

Abstract: A manner of monitoring network performance using an AMA (active monitoring agent). A network manager, generally operating on one of the network nodes, establishes an AMA associated with two end points, at least one of the end points including a VM running an application. VM migration is monitored, and if a detected migration is associated with an active AMA then the new endpoint or endpoints associated with the AMA are calculated and a new AMA is established. A VM pair table is updated to reflect the change.