Connectivity checks in virtualized computing environments

1. A method for a network management entity to perform a connectivity check in a virtualized computing environment that includes the network management entity, a first host and a second host, wherein the method comprises:

identifying, by the network management entity, a group of multiple virtualized computing instances that are deployed as network nodes of a multi-node application, wherein the group includes a first virtualized computing instance supported by the first host that requires data-plane connectivity with a second virtualized computing instance supported by the second host, and the first virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a first service of the multi-node application, and the second virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a second service of the multi-node application;

configuring, by the network management entity, the first host to generate and send a connectivity check packet to the second host based on the identified group of multiple virtualized computing instances; and

based on report information from one or more entities along a path traversed by the connectivity check packet, determining, by the network management entity, a connectivity status associated with the first virtualized computing instance and the second virtualized computing instance.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the group comprises:

identifying a first logical port or a first virtual network interface controller (VNIC) associated with the first virtualized computing instance; and

identifying a second logical port or a second VNIC associated with the second virtualized computing instance.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein configuring the first host further comprises:

configuring a connectivity check session between the first logical port and the second logical port or between the first VNIC and the second VNIC.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the report information from one or more of the following entities: a first distributed firewall implemented by the first host, a first distributed firewall implemented by the second host, a logical switch connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance and a logical router connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the group comprises one or more of the following:

obtaining application information specifying one or more attributes associated with each of the multiple virtualized computing instances;

obtaining traffic flow information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a traffic flow between them; and

obtaining firewall rule information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a firewall rule that is invocable at the first host or the second host.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first host comprises:

generating configuration information that specifies one or more parameters of the connectivity check packet; and

sending the configuration information to the first host to cause the first host to generate and send the connectivity check packet.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein configuring the first host comprises:

configuring the first host to generate the connectivity check packet to include an inner header that is addressed from the first virtualized computing instance to the second virtualized computing instance, an outer header that is addressed from the first host to the second host and a connectivity check packet flag.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes a set of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor supporting a network management entity, cause the processor to perform a method of connectivity check in a virtualized computing environment that includes a first host and a second host:

identifying a group of multiple virtualized computing instances that are deployed as network nodes of a multi-node application, wherein the group includes a first virtualized computing instance supported by the first host that requires data-plane connectivity with a second virtualized computing instance supported by the second host, and the first virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a first service of the multi-node application, and the second virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a second service of the multi-node application;

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.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein identifying the group comprises:

identifying a first logical port or a first virtual network interface controller (VNIC) associated with the first virtualized computing instance; and

identifying a second logical port or a second VNIC associated with the second virtualized computing instance.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein configuring the first host further comprises:

configuring a connectivity check session between the first logical port and the second logical port or between the first VNIC and the second VNIC.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the report information from one or more of the following entities: a first distributed firewall implemented by the first host, a first distributed firewall implemented by the second host, a logical switch connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance and a logical router connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein identifying the group comprises one or more of the following:

obtaining application information specifying one or more attributes associated with each of the multiple virtualized computing instances;

obtaining traffic flow information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a traffic flow between them; and

obtaining firewall rule information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a firewall rule that is invocable at the first host or the second host.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein configuring the first host comprises:

generating configuration information that specifies one or more parameters of the connectivity check packet; and

sending the configuration information to the first host to cause the first host to generate and send the connectivity check packet.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein configuring the first host comprises:

configuring the first host to generate the connectivity check packet to include an inner header that is addressed from the first virtualized computing instance to the second virtualized computing instance, an outer header that is addressed from the first host to the second host and a connectivity check packet flag.

15. A network management entity to perform a connectivity check in a virtualized computing environment that includes a first host and a second host, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

identify a group of multiple virtualized computing instances that are deployed as network nodes of a multi-node application, wherein the group includes a first virtualized computing instance supported by the first host that requires data-plane connectivity with a second virtualized computing instance supported by the second host, and the first virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a first service of the multi-node application, and the second virtualized computing instance is configured to implement a second service of the multi-node application;

configure 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, determine a connectivity status associated with the first virtualized computing instance and the second virtualized computing instance.

16. The network management entity of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for identifying the group cause the processor to:

identify a first logical port or a first virtual network interface controller (VNIC) associated with the first virtualized computing instance; and

identify a second logical port or a second VNIC associated with the second virtualized computing instance.

17. The network management entity of claim 16 , wherein the instructions for configuring the first host further cause the processor to:

configure a connectivity check session between the first logical port and the second logical port or between the first VNIC and the second VNIC.

18. The network management entity of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive the report information from one or more of the following entities: a first distributed firewall implemented by the first host, a first distributed firewall implemented by the second host, a logical switch connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance and a logical router connecting the first virtualized computing instance with the second virtualized computing instance.

19. The network management entity of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for identifying the group cause the processor to perform one or more of the following:

obtain application information specifying one or more attributes associated with each of the multiple virtualized computing instances;

obtain traffic flow information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a traffic flow between them; and

obtain firewall rule information to determine that the first virtualized computing instance requires connectivity with the second virtualized computing instance based on a firewall rule that is invocable at the first host or the second host.

20. The network management entity of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for configuring the first host cause the processor to:

generate configuration information that specifies one or more parameters of the connectivity check packet; and

send the configuration information to the first host to cause the first host to generate and send the connectivity check packet.

21. The network management entity of claim 15 , wherein the instructions for configuring the first host cause the processor to:

configure the first host to generate the connectivity check packet to include an inner header that is addressed from the first virtualized computing instance to the second virtualized computing instance, an outer header that is addressed from the first host to the second host and a connectivity check packet flag.