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Using virtual networking devices to manage routing communications between connected computer networks

  • US 7,953,865 B1
  • Filed: 12/28/2009
  • Issued: 05/31/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

  • under control of one or more computing systems of a configurable network service that provides virtual computer networks to remote customers,receiving first configuration information from a first customer for a first virtual computer network provided for the first customer by the configurable network service, the provided first virtual computer network including multiple first computing nodes from a plurality of computing nodes provided by the configurable network service, the first configuration information being received via a programmatic interface of the configurable network service and indicating first network topology information for the provided first virtual computer network that specifies one or more first network routers that each are indicated to be connected to one or more of the multiple first computing nodes of the provided first virtual computer network;

    receiving second configuration information from a second customer for a second virtual computer network provided for the second customer by the configurable network service, the provided second virtual computer network including multiple distinct second computing nodes from the plurality of computing nodes provided by the configurable network service, the second configuration information being received via the programmatic interface of the configurable network service and indicating second network topology information for the provided second virtual computer network that specifies one or more second network routers that each are indicated to be connected to one or more of the multiple second computing nodes of the provided second virtual computer network; and

    automatically providing the first virtual computer network for the first customer in accordance with the indicated first network topology information and automatically providing the second virtual computer network for the second customer in accordance with the indicated second network topology information, the automatic providing of the first and second virtual computer networks including overlaying the first and second virtual computer networks on a distinct substrate network without physically providing the one or more first network routers and without physically providing the one or more second network routers, the automatic providing of the first and second virtual computer networks including;

    forwarding multiple communications between the multiple first computing nodes over the substrate network in a manner that emulates functionality that would be provided by the one or more first network routers if the one or more first network routers were physically provided, and forwarding multiple other communications between the multiple second computing nodes over the substrate network in a manner that emulates functionality that would be provided by the one or more second network routers if the one or more second network routers were physically provided;

    in response to one or more requests from the first client, creating a virtual peering router that enables interactions with one or more other computer networks in accordance with peering configuration information specified by the first client, the created virtual peering router being emulated without physically providing the virtual peering router, and establishing a first logical connection between at least one of the first network routers of the first virtual computer network and the virtual peering router;

    in response to a request from the second client, establishing a second logical connection between at least one of the second network routers of the second virtual computer network and the virtual peering router; and

    after the establishing of the second logical connection,receiving one or more routing communications via the established second logical connection that are each directed to the virtual peering router and include network routing information for the second virtual computer network that is specified in accordance with a predefined network routing protocol;

    automatically determining that the received one or more routing communications are authorized to be forwarded to the first virtual computer network based at least in part on the peering configuration information specified by the first client;

    in response to the automatic determining that the received one or more routing communications are authorized to be forwarded, forwarding the received one or more routing communications over the substrate network to one or more of the first computing nodes of the first virtual computer network that participate in the predefined network routing protocol; and

    forwarding one or more additional communications over the substrate network that are sent from the one or more first computing nodes to one or more of the multiple second computing nodes via the virtual peering router, the forwarding of the one or more additional communications including emulating functionality that would be provided by the virtual peering router if the virtual peering router was physically provided, the one or more additional communications being specified by the one or more first computing nodes in accordance with the network routing information for the second virtual computer network that is included in the forwarded one or more routing communications.

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