Abstract: A segmentation server defines a segmentation policy and distributes the segmentation policy to be enforced by a plurality of operating system (OS) instances. The segmentation policy includes rules controlling which workloads executing on the OS instances can communicate with other workloads and controlling how the workloads may communicate. When a connection between two OS instances is requested, each OS instance provides an identity and a cryptographic proof of the identity. The OS instances each authenticate the identity received from the other OS instance, and once authenticated, determines based on the authenticated identities if the rules permit the communication. If the rules permit the communication, the OS instances obtain session parameters that enable the OS instances to validate integrity of the messages communicated between the workloads and optionally encrypt the messages.

Abstract: A managed server (MS) within an administrative domain is quarantined. The administrative domain includes multiple MSs that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The quarantined MS is isolated from other MSs. A description of the MS is modified to indicate that the MS is quarantined, thereby specifying a description of the quarantined MS. Cached actor-sets are updated to indicate the quarantined MS's changed state, thereby specifying updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding which updated actor-sets are relevant to an other MS, thereby specifying currently-relevant updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding whether the currently-relevant updated actor-sets differ from actor-sets previously sent to the other MS.

Abstract: A segmentation server enables user-based management of a segmentation policy. Administrators belonging to different user groups may have different limited visibility into traffic flows controlled by the segmentation policy and may be assigned different privileges with respect to viewing, creating, and modifying rules of the segmentation policy. Thus, the burden of administering the segmentation policy may be distributed between administrators associated with different user groups that each may have responsibility for a different segment.

Abstract: A segmentation server defines a segmentation policy and distributes the segmentation policy to be enforced by a plurality of operating system (OS) instances. The segmentation policy includes rules controlling which workloads executing on the OS instances can communicate with other workloads and controlling how the workloads may communicate. When a connection between two OS instances is requested, each OS instance provides an identity and a cryptographic proof of the identity. The OS instances each authenticate the identity received from the other OS instance, and once authenticated, determines based on the authenticated identities if the rules permit the communication. If the rules permit the communication, the OS instances obtain session parameters that enable the OS instances to validate integrity of the messages communicated between the workloads and optionally encrypt the messages.

Abstract: A segmentation server defines a segmentation policy and distributes the segmentation policy to be enforced by a plurality of operating system (OS) instances. The segmentation policy includes rules controlling which workloads executing on the OS instances can communicate with other workloads and controlling how the workloads may communicate. When a connection between two OS instances is requested, each OS instance provides an identity and a cryptographic proof of the identity. The OS instances each authenticate the identity received from the other OS instance, and once authenticated, determines based on the authenticated identities if the rules permit the communication. If the rules permit the communication, the OS instances obtain session parameters that enable the OS instances to validate integrity of the messages communicated between the workloads and optionally encrypt the messages.

Abstract: A managed server (MS) within an administrative domain is quarantined. The administrative domain includes multiple MSs that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The quarantined MS is isolated from other MSs. A description of the MS is modified to indicate that the MS is quarantined, thereby specifying a description of the quarantined MS. Cached actor-sets are updated to indicate the quarantined MS's changed state, thereby specifying updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding which updated actor-sets are relevant to an other MS, thereby specifying currently-relevant updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding whether the currently-relevant updated actor-sets differ from actor-sets previously sent to the other MS.

Abstract: A change to a state of a particular managed server within an administrative domain is processed. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. A first description of the particular managed server is modified to indicate the particular managed server's changed state, thereby specifying a second description of the particular managed server. The unmodified first description is compared to the second description, thereby specifying a description change. A determination is made, based on the description change, regarding whether to update management instructions previously sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: Management instructions for a particular managed server within an administrative domain are generated according to an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers. A determination is made regarding which rules within the set of rules are relevant to the particular managed server. Function-level instructions are generated based on the rules that were determined to be relevant. A determination is made regarding which managed servers within the plurality of managed servers are relevant to the particular managed server. The function-level instructions and information regarding the managed servers that were determined to be relevant are sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: Management instructions for a particular managed server within an administrative domain are generated according to an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers. A determination is made regarding which rules within the set of rules are relevant to the particular managed server. Function-level instructions are generated based on the rules that were determined to be relevant. A determination is made regarding which managed servers within the plurality of managed servers are relevant to the particular managed server. The function-level instructions and information regarding the managed servers that were determined to be relevant are sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: A segmentation server enables user-based management of a segmentation policy. Administrators belonging to different user groups may have different limited visibility into traffic flows controlled by the segmentation policy and may be assigned different privileges with respect to viewing, creating, and modifying rules of the segmentation policy. Thus, the burden of administering the segmentation policy may be distributed between administrators associated with different user groups that each may have responsibility for a different segment.

Abstract: A managed server (MS) within an administrative domain is quarantined. The administrative domain includes multiple MSs that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The quarantined MS is isolated from other MSs. A description of the MS is modified to indicate that the MS is quarantined, thereby specifying a description of the quarantined MS. Cached actor-sets are updated to indicate the quarantined MS's changed state, thereby specifying updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding which updated actor-sets are relevant to an other MS, thereby specifying currently-relevant updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding whether the currently-relevant updated actor-sets differ from actor-sets previously sent to the other MS.

Abstract: A segmentation server enables user-based management of a segmentation policy. Administrators belonging to different user groups may have different limited visibility into traffic flows controlled by the segmentation policy and may be assigned different privileges with respect to viewing, creating, and modifying rules of the segmentation policy. Thus, the burden of administering the segmentation policy may be distributed between administrators associated with different user groups that each may have responsibility for a different segment.

Abstract: A segmentation server defines a segmentation policy and distributes the segmentation policy to be enforced by a plurality of operating system (OS) instances. The segmentation policy includes rules controlling which workloads executing on the OS instances can communicate with other workloads and controlling how the workloads may communicate. When a connection between two OS instances is requested, each OS instance provides an identity and a cryptographic proof of the identity. The OS instances each authenticate the identity received from the other OS instance, and once authenticated, determines based on the authenticated identities if the rules permit the communication. If the rules permit the communication, the OS instances obtain session parameters that enable the OS instances to validate integrity of the messages communicated between the workloads and optionally encrypt the messages.

Abstract: An access control rule authorizing communication between a plurality of managed servers within an administrative domain is determined. Communication information describing past communication between the plurality of managed servers is obtained. A subset of managed servers from the plurality of managed servers is identified by grouping the plurality of managed servers based on the obtained communication information. A group-level label set is determined to associate with the subset of managed servers. Role labels are determined for managed servers in the subset of managed servers. A managed server is associated with one role label. Based on the group-level label set and the role labels, an access control rule is generated authorizing communication between a first managed server of the subset of managed servers and a second managed server. The access control rule is stored as part of an administrative domain-wide management policy.

Abstract: A server is paired. A pairing request that includes a pairing key is received from an unpaired server. A determination is made regarding whether to approve or reject the pairing request. Making the determination comprises attempting to validate the pairing key in the pairing request. Responsive to determining to approve the pairing request: the unpaired server is notified that the unpaired server is now a managed server; a description of the managed server is generated, wherein the managed server description includes a set of one or more labels that describe the managed server; management instructions are generated for the managed server based on the managed server description and based on an administrative domain-wide management policy that includes a rule that refers to managed servers using a label; and the management instructions are sent to the managed server.

Abstract: A change to a state of a particular managed server within an administrative domain is processed. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. A first description of the particular managed server is modified to indicate the particular managed server's changed state, thereby specifying a second description of the particular managed server. The unmodified first description is compared to the second description, thereby specifying a description change. A determination is made, based on the description change, regarding whether to update management instructions previously sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: An access control rule authorizing communication between a plurality of managed servers within an administrative domain is determined. Communication information describing past communication between the plurality of managed servers is obtained. A subset of managed servers from the plurality of managed servers is identified by grouping the plurality of managed servers based on the obtained communication information. A group-level label set is determined to associate with the subset of managed servers. Role labels are determined for managed servers in the subset of managed servers. A managed server is associated with one role label. Based on the group-level label set and the role labels, an access control rule is generated authorizing communication between a first managed server of the subset of managed servers and a second managed server. The access control rule is stored as part of an administrative domain-wide management policy.

Abstract: Management instructions for a particular managed server within an administrative domain are generated according to an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers. A determination is made regarding which rules within the set of rules are relevant to the particular managed server. Function-level instructions are generated based on the rules that were determined to be relevant. A determination is made regarding which managed servers within the plurality of managed servers are relevant to the particular managed server. The function-level instructions and information regarding the managed servers that were determined to be relevant are sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: A managed server (MS) within an administrative domain is quarantined. The administrative domain includes multiple MSs that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The quarantined MS is isolated from other MSs. A description of the MS is modified to indicate that the MS is quarantined, thereby specifying a description of the quarantined MS. Cached actor-sets are updated to indicate the quarantined MS's changed state, thereby specifying updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding which updated actor-sets are relevant to an other MS, thereby specifying currently-relevant updated actor-sets. A determination is made regarding whether the currently-relevant updated actor-sets differ from actor-sets previously sent to the other MS.

Abstract: A change to a state of a particular managed server within an administrative domain is processed. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. A first description of the particular managed server is modified to indicate the particular managed server's changed state, thereby specifying a second description of the particular managed server. The unmodified first description is compared to the second description, thereby specifying a description change. A determination is made, based on the description change, regarding whether to update management instructions previously sent to the particular managed server.