IP Library Patent Application 18815679
Patent Application
App. No. 18/815,679

CONFIGURATION OF LOGICAL ROUTER

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/815,679
Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of operating several logical networks over a network virtualization infrastructure. The method defines a managed physical switching element (MPSE) that includes several ports for forwarding packets to and from a plurality of virtual machines. Each port is associated with a unique media access control (MAC) address. The method defines several managed physical routing elements (MPREs) for the several different logical networks. Each MPRE is for receiving data packets from a same port of the MPSE. Each MPRE is defined for a different logical network and for routing data packets between different segments of the logical network. The method provides the defined MPSE and the defined plurality of MPREs to a plurality of host machines as configuration data.

Claims (29)

1 . A system for managing network traffic in a virtualized environment, comprising:

a plurality of host machines comprising a first host machine, the first host machine comprising:

a virtualization software configured to manage one or more virtual machines (VMs) and network resources; and

a managed physical routing element (MPRE) configured to perform local packet forwarding of data packets between VMs hosted on the first host machine, the MPREs being configured as a logical routing element (LRE) that for operating across the plurality of host machines for MPRE to route data packets locally;

wherein the MPRE is associated with one or more logical interfaces (LIFs) that provide routing functionality for network segments associated with the first machine, each LIF being identified by a network address and a network segment identifier.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to provide network address translation (NAT) for the VMs hosted on the first host machine.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first host machine further comprises a managed physical switching element (MPSE).

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the MPSE comprises a plurality of ports for performing link layer forwarding of packets to and from a set of virtual machines running on the first host machine.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to provide a firewall to control a flow of data packets between VMs and external network elements.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each LIF is associated with a unique virtual MAC address (VMAC) for packet forwarding within the first host machine.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each LIF provides address resolution protocol (ARP) functionalities to resolve network addresses for the VMs.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first host is assigned a unique physical MAC (PMAC) address for addressing the MPRE from other host machines, wherein different host machines are assigned different PMACs.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to perform network layer routing to forward the received data packet from a first virtual machine of a first network segment to a second virtual machine of a second network segment.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first host machine further comprises a managed physical switching element (MPSE) comprising a plurality of ports for performing link layer forwarding of packets to and from a set of virtual machines running on the host machine, each port associated with a unique media access control (MAC) address.

11 . A system for managing network traffic in a virtualized environment, comprising:

a plurality of host machines comprising a first host machine, the first host machine comprising:

a virtualization software configured to manage one or more virtual machines (VMs) and network resources;

a managed physical switching element (MPSE) comprising a plurality of ports for performing link layer forwarding of packets to and from a set of virtual machines running on the first host machine, each port associated with a unique media access control (MAC) address; and

a managed physical routing element (MPRE) configured to perform local packet forwarding of data packets between VMs hosted on the first host machine;

wherein the MPRE is associated with one or more logical interfaces (LIFs) that provide routing functionality for network segments associated with the first machine.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to provide a firewall to control a flow of data packets between VMs and external network elements.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each LIF is associated with a unique virtual MAC address (VMAC) for packet forwarding within the first host machine.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to provide network address translation (NAT) for the VMs hosted on the first host machine.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the MPRE is configured as a logical routing element (LRE).

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each LIF is identified by a network address and a network segment identifier.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each LIF provides address resolution protocol (ARP) functionalities to resolve network addresses for the VMs.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the first host is assigned a unique physical MAC (PMAC) address for addressing the MPRE from other host machines, wherein different host machines are assigned different PMACs.

19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the MPRE is further configured to perform network layer routing to forward the received data packet from a first virtual machine of a first network segment to a second virtual machine of a second network segment.

20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein each LIF being identified by a network address and a network segment identifier.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded Jan 27, 2025
From: NICIRA, INC.
To: VMWARE LLC
Reel/Frame 070187/0487 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2024
From: CHANDRASHEKHAR, GANESAN; SUBRAMANIYAM, RAHUL KORIVI; SINGH, RAM DULAR; AGARWAL, VIVEK; WANG, HOWARD
To: NICIRA, INC.
Reel/Frame 068402/0418 →