FLEXIBLE LABELS FOR WORKLOADS IN A NETWORK MANAGED VIRTUALIZED COMPUTING SYSTEM
An example method of analyzing workloads executing in a network managed virtualized computing system includes: presenting, by a network analyzer, a first view of the workloads on a canvas to a first user; receiving, at the network analyzer, first user input to create a first label, the first label initially disassociated with security policies of a network manager managing a software defined network used by the workloads; receiving, at the network analyzer, second user input to assign the first label to at least one of the workloads; and presenting, by the network analyzer, a second view of the workloads on the canvas to the first user having a first group of the at least one workload and a second group having workloads other than the at least one workload.
1 . A method of analyzing workloads executing in a network managed virtualized computing system, the method comprising:
presenting, by a network analyzer, a first view of the workloads on a canvas to a first user;
receiving, at the network analyzer, first user input to create a first label, the first label initially disassociated with security policies of a network manager managing a software defined network used by the workloads;
receiving, at the network analyzer, second user input to assign the first label to at least one of the workloads; and
presenting, by the network analyzer, a second view of the workloads on the canvas to the first user having a first group of the at least one workload and a second group having workloads other than the at least one workload.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein, in the first view, the workloads are grouped according to similar network flows.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the network manager assigns at least one of tags and groups to the workloads globally, and wherein the first label is independent of the tags and the groups.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network analyzer, third user input to create a second label from a second user, the second label associated only with the second user and the first label associated only with the first user.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting at least one of network flows and security alerts on the second view based on the first group.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network analyzer, third user input to promote the first label to a tag managed by the network manager;
creating, by the network analyzer in cooperation with the network manager, the tag based on the first label;
dynamically creating, by the network manager, a group of the workloads based on the tag; and
applying, by the network manager, a security policy to the group.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network manager, third user input to promote the first label to a group managed by the network manager;
creating, by the network analyzer in cooperation with the network manager, the group based on the first label; and
applying, by the network manager, a security policy to the group.
8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions to be executed in a computing device to cause the computing device to carry out a method of analyzing workloads executing in a network managed virtualized computing system, the method comprising:
presenting, by a network analyzer, a first view of the workloads on a canvas to a first user;
receiving, at the network analyzer, first user input to create a first label, the first label initially disassociated with security policies of a network manager managing a software defined network used by the workloads;
receiving, at the network analyzer, second user input to assign the first label to at least one of the workloads; and
presenting, by the network analyzer, a second view of the workloads on the canvas to the first user having a first group of the at least one workload and a second group having workloads other than the at least one workload.
9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein, in the first view, the workloads are grouped according to similar network flows.
10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the network manager assigns at least one of tags and groups to the workloads globally, and wherein the first label is independent of the tags and the groups.
11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network analyzer, third user input to create a second label from a second user, the second label associated only with the second user and the first label associated only with the first user.
12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:
presenting at least one of network flows and security alerts on the second view based on the first group.
13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network analyzer, third user input to promote the first label to a tag managed by the network manager;
creating, by the network analyzer in cooperation with the network manager, the tag based on the first label;
dynamically creating, by the network manager, a group of the workloads based on the tag; and
applying, by the network manager, a security policy to the group.
14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving, at the network manager, third user input to promote the first label to a group managed by the network manager;
creating, by the network analyzer in cooperation with the network manager, the group based on the first label; and
applying, by the network manager, a security policy to the group.
15 . A virtualized computing system, comprising:
a cluster of hosts executing workloads, the workloads comprising virtual machines (VMs) managed by hypervisors of the hosts;
a network manager configured to manage a software defined network for the workloads; and
a network analyzer configured to:
present a first view of the workloads on a canvas to a first user;
receive first user input to create a first label, the first label initially disassociated with security policies of the network manager;
receive second user input to assign the first label to at least one of the workloads; and
present a second view of the workloads on the canvas to the first user having a first group of the at least one workload and a second group having workloads other than the at least one workload.
16 . The virtualized computing system of claim 15 , wherein, in the first view, the workloads are grouped according to similar network flows.
17 . The virtualized computing system of claim 15 , wherein the network manager assigns at least one of tags and groups to the workloads globally, and wherein the first label is independent of the tags and the groups.
18 . The virtualized computing system of claim 15 , wherein the network analyzer is configured to:
receive third user input to create a second label from a second user, the second label associated only with the second user and the first label associated only with the first user.
19 . The virtualized computing system of claim 15 , wherein the network analyzer is configured to:
receive third user input to promote the first label to a tag managed by the network manager; and
create, in cooperation with the network manager, the tag based on the first label.
20 . The virtualized computing system of claim 15 , wherein the network analyzer is configured to:
receive third user input to promote the first label to a group managed by the network manager; and
create, in cooperation with the network manager, the group based on the first label.