Methods and apparatus to configure and manage network resources for use in network-based computing

1. An apparatus to manage network resources, the apparatus comprising:

a link aggregator to:

aggregate a first plurality of physical network interfaces to create a first link aggregated group, the first link aggregated group corresponding to a first virtual network interface; and

aggregate a second plurality of physical network interfaces to create a second link aggregated group, the second link aggregated group corresponding to a second virtual network interface; and

a link manager to:

connect the first link aggregated group between a first distributed virtual port and a first top-of-rack switch;

connect the second link aggregated group between a second distributed virtual port and a second top-of-rack switch; and

remove an invalid connection that is active and between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the link manager is to remove the invalid connection between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch while: (a) maintaining the first link aggregated group connected between the first distributed virtual port and the first top-of-rack switch and (b) maintaining the second link aggregated group connected between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second virtual network interfaces are accessible via distributed virtual ports of a virtual network distributed switch by applications executing in a virtual machine on a host server to communicate via a network.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the link manager is further to:

detect a second invalid connection corresponding to the first and second link aggregated groups, the second invalid connection based on the first top-of-rack switch being connected to the second top-of-rack switch; and

correct the second invalid connection by removing the second link aggregated group.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the link manager is further to reconnect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch after the first top-of-rack switch is disconnected from the second top-of-rack switch.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the link manager is further to:

detect a second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch; and

remove the second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the link manager is to connect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch based on a utilization of the first link aggregated group satisfying a threshold.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first and second pluralities of physical network interfaces correspond to a same physical host.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a virtual network distributed switch to implement the link aggregator and the link manager.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further including a software defined data center manager to implement the link aggregator and the link manager.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the link manager is to:

cause transmission of a probe message via the first link aggregated group; and

remove the invalid connection after the probe message is rerouted back through the first link aggregated group.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the invalid connection is a cause of a routing loop in which packets are repeatedly routed between network devices.

13. An apparatus to manage network resources, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory;

instructions in the apparatus; and

programmable circuitry to be programmed by the instructions to:

aggregate a first plurality of physical network interfaces to create a first link aggregated group, the first link aggregated group corresponding to a first virtual network interface;

aggregate a second plurality of physical network interfaces to create a second link aggregated group, the second link aggregated group corresponding to a second virtual network interface;

connect the first link aggregated group between a first distributed virtual port and a first top-of-rack switch;

connect the second link aggregated group between a second distributed virtual port and a second top-of-rack switch; and

remove an invalid connection that is active and between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to be programmed by the instructions to remove the invalid connection between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch while: (a) maintaining the first link aggregated group connected between the first distributed virtual port and the first top-of-rack switch and (b) maintaining the second link aggregated group connected between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to be programmed by the instructions to:

detect a second invalid connection corresponding to the first and second link aggregated groups, the second invalid connection based on the first top-of-rack switch being connected to the second top-of-rack switch; and

correct the second invalid connection by removing the second link aggregated group.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 15 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to be programmed by the instructions to reconnect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch after the first top-of-rack switch is disconnected from the second top-of-rack switch.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to be programmed by the instructions to:

detect a second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch; and

remove the second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein the programmable circuitry is to be programmed by the instructions to connect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch based on a utilization of the first link aggregated group satisfying a threshold.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause programmable circuitry to at least:

aggregate a first plurality of physical network interfaces to create a first link aggregated group, the first link aggregated group corresponding to a first virtual network interface card;

aggregate a second plurality of physical network interfaces to create a second link aggregated group, the second link aggregated group corresponding to a second virtual network interface;

connect the first link aggregated group between a first distributed virtual port and a first top-of-rack switch;

connect the second link aggregated group between a second distributed virtual port and a second top-of-rack switch; and

remove an invalid connection that is active and between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to remove the invalid connection between the first plurality of physical network interfaces and the second top-of-rack switch while: (a) maintaining the first link aggregated group connected between the first distributed virtual port and the first top-of-rack switch and (b) maintaining the second link aggregated group connected between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to:

detect a second invalid connection corresponding to the first and second link aggregated groups, the second invalid connection based on the first top-of-rack switch being connected to the second top-of-rack switch; and

correct the second invalid connection by removing the second link aggregated group.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to reconnect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch after the first top-of-rack switch is disconnected from the second top-of-rack switch.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to:

detect a second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch; and

remove the second invalid connection between the second plurality of physical network interfaces and the first top-of-rack switch.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to connect the second link aggregated group between the second distributed virtual port and the second top-of-rack switch based on a utilization of the first link aggregated group satisfying a threshold.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 19 , wherein the instructions are to cause the programmable circuitry to:

cause transmission of a probe message via the first link aggregated group; and

remove the invalid connection after the probe message is rerouted back through the first link aggregated group.