Network Traffic Processing Pipeline for Virtual Machines in a Network Device
First Claim
1. A network device adapted to process network traffic, the network device comprising:
- a first network connection adapted to communicate first network traffic;
a second network connection adapted to communicate second network traffic;
a plurality of hosted virtual machines each adapted to execute at least one virtual machine application;
a virtual machine data interface connected with the plurality of hosted virtual machines;
a first network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the first network traffic between the first network connection and the virtual machine data interface; and
a second network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the second network traffic between the second network connection and the virtual machine data interface;
wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portions of the first and second network traffic between the first and second network traffic taps and the plurality of hosted virtual machines.
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Abstract
Network devices include hosted virtual machines and virtual machine applications. Hosted virtual machines and their applications implement additional functions and services in network devices. Network devices include data taps for directing network traffic to hosted virtual machines and allowing hosted virtual machines to inject network traffic. Network devices include unidirectional data flow specifications, referred to as hyperswitches. Each hyperswitch is associated with a hosted virtual machine and receives network traffic received by the network device from a single direction. Each hyperswitch processes network traffic according to rules and rule criteria. A hosted virtual machine can be associated with multiple hyperswitches, thereby independently specifying the data flow of network traffic to and from the hosted virtual machine from multiple networks. The network device architecture also enables the communication of additional information between the network device and one or more virtual machine applications using an extended non-standard network protocol.
91 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A network device adapted to process network traffic, the network device comprising:
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a first network connection adapted to communicate first network traffic; a second network connection adapted to communicate second network traffic; a plurality of hosted virtual machines each adapted to execute at least one virtual machine application; a virtual machine data interface connected with the plurality of hosted virtual machines; a first network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the first network traffic between the first network connection and the virtual machine data interface; and a second network traffic tap adapted to direct at least a first portion of the second network traffic between the second network connection and the virtual machine data interface; wherein the virtual machine data interface is adapted to direct the first portions of the first and second network traffic between the first and second network traffic taps and the plurality of hosted virtual machines. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification