Managing external communications for provided computer networks
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- providing, by one or more programmed computing systems, a first virtual computer network by overlaying the first virtual computer network on a distinct substrate network;
receiving an indication of a first communication that is directed to a first network address from a first computing node of the first virtual computer network at a first geographical location, the first network address being associated with a first external destination that is not at the first geographical location;
before forwarding the first communication over the substrate network from the first computing node, selecting, by the one or more programmed computing systems, an edge device from a group of multiple alternative edge devices connected to the substrate network at the first geographical location to use for the first communication, the selecting being performed in a configured manner that is based at least in part on the first network address; and
initiating forwarding, by the one or more programmed computing systems, of the first communication over the substrate network from the first computing node to the selected edge device, to enable further forwarding of the first communication by the selected edge device to the first external destination.
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Abstract
Techniques are described for providing managed computer networks. In some situations, the techniques include managing communications for computing nodes of a managed computer network by using a pool of multiple alternative intermediate destinations to forward at least some communications to other final destinations. For example, a manager module associated with a source computing node may select a particular one of multiple alternative intermediate destinations to use for one or more particular communications from the source computing node to an indicated final destination, such as based on network addresses associated with the source computing node and/or the final destination. The multiple alternative intermediate destinations may have various forms, including multiple alternative edge devices at a first location at which various computing nodes are co-located that operate to manage communications between those co-located computing nodes at the first location and other external computer systems at one or more other locations.
53 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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providing, by one or more programmed computing systems, a first virtual computer network by overlaying the first virtual computer network on a distinct substrate network; receiving an indication of a first communication that is directed to a first network address from a first computing node of the first virtual computer network at a first geographical location, the first network address being associated with a first external destination that is not at the first geographical location; before forwarding the first communication over the substrate network from the first computing node, selecting, by the one or more programmed computing systems, an edge device from a group of multiple alternative edge devices connected to the substrate network at the first geographical location to use for the first communication, the selecting being performed in a configured manner that is based at least in part on the first network address; and initiating forwarding, by the one or more programmed computing systems, of the first communication over the substrate network from the first computing node to the selected edge device, to enable further forwarding of the first communication by the selected edge device to the first external destination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored contents that configure a computing system to:
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obtain information regarding a first virtual computer network having multiple computing nodes, the first virtual computer network being overlaid on a distinct substrate network that interconnects the multiple computing nodes; manage a communication that is from a first computing node of the multiple computing nodes, wherein the first computing node is provided by the configured computing system, and wherein the communication has a destination network address associated with an external final destination that is not part of the first virtual computer network, the managing of the communication including; before the communication leaves the configured computing system, selecting one intermediate destination from multiple alternative intermediate destinations in the substrate network to use in forwarding the communication to the external final destination, the selecting of the one intermediate destination being performed in a configured manner that is based at least in part on the destination network address for the communication; and determining a substrate network address that is associated with the selected one intermediate destination; and initiate the forwarding of the communication over the substrate network from the configured computing system to the selected one intermediate destination using the determined substrate network address, to enable further forwarding of the communication by the selected one intermediate destination to the external final destination. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A computing system, comprising:
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one or more hardware processors; and a manager module that is associated with one or more computing nodes that are at least some of multiple computing nodes of a first computer network overlaid on one or more substrate second networks, wherein the manager module is configured to, when executed by at least one of the one or more hardware processors, manage a communication sent by a first computing node of the one or more computing nodes by; before the communication is sent over the one or more substrate second networks, selecting an intermediate destination from multiple alternative intermediate destinations in the one or more substrate second networks to use in forwarding the communication to an external final destination, the selecting of the intermediate destination being performed in a configured manner that is based at least in part on a destination network address specified for the communication; determining a substrate network address for the one or more substrate second networks that is associated with the selected intermediate destination; and sending the communication from the first computing node to the one or more substrate second networks for forwarding to the selected intermediate destination by using the determined substrate network address. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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Specification