Mapping Virtual Machines from a Private Network to a Multi-Tenant Public Datacenter

• US 20160149796A1
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Published: 05/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Raman, Chidambareswaran
• Granted Patent: US 10,021,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/586 of virtual routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A method for creating a set of virtual machines on a public datacenter. The method, from a first network controller of a private network, commands a second network controller of the public datacenter to create the virtual machines. The method, from the first network controller of the private network, communicates with the second network controller of the public datacenter to determine a type of the second network controller. When the first network controller includes instructions for using application programming interfaces (APIs) of the type of the second network controller, the method uses the APIs to set up a VLAN for the set of virtual machines in order to allow the virtual machines of the set of virtual machines to communicate securely with each other without sending the communications through the private network. In some embodiments, the VLAN is a private VLAN (PVLAN).

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. A method comprising:

from a first network controller of a private network, commanding a second network controller of a public datacenter to create a set of virtual machines in the public datacenter;

from the first network controller of the private network, communicating with the second network controller of the public datacenter to determine a type of the second network controller; and

when the first network controller includes instructions for using application programming interfaces (APIs) of the type of the second network controller, using the APIs to set up a virtual local area network (VLAN) for the set of virtual machines, such that the virtual machines communicate securely with each other without sending the communications through the private network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining the type of the second network controller comprises:

sending a query from the first network controller to the second network controller; and

receiving an identifying message from the second network controller at the first network controller.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first network controller uses the APIs of the second network controller to set up the VLAN when the type of the second network controller is one of a pre-selected set of network controller types.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein when the first network controller does not have instructions for using APIs of the type of the second network controller, all communications between the virtual machines are sent through the private network.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the VLAN is a private VLAN (PVLAN).

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the PVLAN comprises a primary VLAN and a plurality of secondary VLANs.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein prior to the first network controller commanding the second network controller to create the set of virtual machines, the virtual machines are implemented on the private network.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the first network controller commands the second network controller of the public datacenter to create the virtual machines in response to a set of commands received from a cloud management platform to create the virtual machines.

32. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by at least one processing unit of a network controller computer of a private network, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

identifying a type of a network controller that manages a network of a public datacenter;

when the type of network controller is one of a pre-selected set of network controller types, using application programming interfaces (APIs) of the network controller of the public datacenter to set up a virtual local area network (VLAN) for a plurality of virtual machines created in the public datacenter, wherein a set of host machines of the public datacenter implement the VLAN to send data communications between the virtual machines without passing the data communications through the private network; and

when the network controller is not one of the pre-selected set of network controller types, setting up a system of communication in which all data communications between the virtual machines on the public datacenter pass through the private network.

33. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 32, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for commanding the network controller of the public datacenter to set up the plurality of virtual machines in the public datacenter.

34. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 32, wherein the pre-selected set of network controller types comprises a set of network controller types with APIs for which the the program has instructions.

35. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 32, wherein the VLAN is a private VLAN (PVLAN) that comprises a primary VLAN and a plurality of secondary VLANs.

36. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 32, wherein the set of instructions for identifying the type of the network controller that manages the network of the public datacenter comprises sets of instructions for:

sending a query to the network controller in the public datacenter; and

receiving an identifying message from the network controller.

37. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a first network controller for execution by at least one processing unit of a network controller computer in a private network, the first network controller comprising sets of instructions for:

commanding a second network controller of a public datacenter to create a set of virtual machines in the public datacenter;

communicating with the second network controller of the public datacenter to determine a type of the second network controller; and

when the first network controller includes instructions for using application programming interfaces (APIs) of the type of the second network controller, using the APIs to set up a virtual local area network (VLAN) for the set of virtual machines, such that the virtual machines communicate securely with each other without sending the communications through the private network.

38. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the set of instructions for determining the type of the second network controller comprises sets of instructions for:

sending a query from the first network controller to the second network controller; and

receiving an identifying message from the second network controller at the first network controller.

39. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first network controller uses the APIs of the second network controller to set up the VLAN when the type of the second network controller is one of a pre-selected set of network controller types.

40. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first network controller further comprises a set of instructions for, when the first network controller does not have instructions for using APIs of the type of the second network controller, setting up a system in which all communications between the virtual machines are sent through the private network.

41. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein prior to the first network controller commanding the second network controller to create the set of virtual machines, the virtual machines are implemented on the private network.

42. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 37, wherein the first network controller commands the second network controller of the public datacenter to create the virtual machines in response to a set of commands received from a cloud management platform to create the virtual machines.