Hierarchical network managers
First Claim
1. A network system comprising:
- a plurality of host machines, each comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium, for hosting virtual machines, the host machines divided into a plurality of different domains;
a plurality of local domain management servers for the plurality of domains, wherein each local domain management server of each domain is for (i) initiating creation of at least one set of distributed virtual switch ports associated with at least one particular logical network identifier on a set of host machines within its domain and (ii) attaching a set of virtual machines on the set of host machines to a created port associated with the particular logical network identifier in order for the virtual machines to send traffic through their respective logical networks; and
a second level management server for (i) receiving a specification for a logical network, the specification comprising a plurality of virtual machines to connect to the logical network and a set of at least first and second domains in which the virtual machines are located and (ii) coordinating the use of logical network identifiers between multiple different local domain management servers by selecting a logical network identifier for the logical network and providing the selected logical network identifier to at least first and second local domain management servers with data indicating on which host machines in the respective domains to initiate creation of distributed virtual switch ports in order to allow the logical network to span across at least the first and second local domains so that a first virtual machine in the first local domain communicates via the logical network with a second virtual machine in the second domain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments provide a network system that includes several host machines for hosting virtual machines, divided into several different domains. The network system includes several local domain management servers. A first local domain management server of a first domain is for (i) initiating creation of a set of distributed virtual switch ports associated with a particular logical network identifier on a host machine within its domain and (ii) attaching a first virtual machine on the host machine to a created port associated with the particular logical network identifier in order for the first virtual machine to send traffic over the logical network. The network system includes a second level management server for coordinating the use of logical network identifiers between multiple different logical domain management servers in order for the first virtual machine to communicate via the logical network with a second virtual machine in a second domain.
135 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A network system comprising:
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a plurality of host machines, each comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium, for hosting virtual machines, the host machines divided into a plurality of different domains; a plurality of local domain management servers for the plurality of domains, wherein each local domain management server of each domain is for (i) initiating creation of at least one set of distributed virtual switch ports associated with at least one particular logical network identifier on a set of host machines within its domain and (ii) attaching a set of virtual machines on the set of host machines to a created port associated with the particular logical network identifier in order for the virtual machines to send traffic through their respective logical networks; and a second level management server for (i) receiving a specification for a logical network, the specification comprising a plurality of virtual machines to connect to the logical network and a set of at least first and second domains in which the virtual machines are located and (ii) coordinating the use of logical network identifiers between multiple different local domain management servers by selecting a logical network identifier for the logical network and providing the selected logical network identifier to at least first and second local domain management servers with data indicating on which host machines in the respective domains to initiate creation of distributed virtual switch ports in order to allow the logical network to span across at least the first and second local domains so that a first virtual machine in the first local domain communicates via the logical network with a second virtual machine in the second domain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for creating a logical network that spans a plurality of domains within a hosting system, the method comprising:
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at a network management server, receiving a specification for a logical network, the specification comprising (i) a plurality of virtual machines to connect to the logical network and (ii) a set of at least two domains in which the virtual machines are located; from a range of available logical network identifiers stored by the management server, allocating a particular logical network identifier for the specified logical network; and sending instructions to a local domain manager at each of the domains in which the virtual machines are located with data providing the allocated logical network identifier and indicating on which host machines in the respective domains to initiate creation of distributed virtual switch ports associated with the allocated logical network identifier in order for the local domain manager to attach the virtual machines in its domain to the logical network using the allocated logical network identifier so that the logical network spans across at least first and second local domains such that a virtual machine in the first domain communicates with the second virtual machine in a second domain. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A network management server comprising:
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a set of processing units; and a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for execution by the set of processors, the program comprising; a first interface for receiving a specification for a logical network, the specification comprising (i) a plurality of virtual machines to connect to the logical network and (ii) a set of at least two domains in which the virtual machines are located; a second interface for sending instructions to a local domain manager at each of the domains in which the virtual machines are located, the instructions for each local domain manager comprising (i) an allocated logical network identifier and (ii) an identification of a set of host machines in the respective domain on which to initiate creation of distributed virtual switch ports associated with the allocated logical network identifier in order for the local domain manager to attach the virtual machines in its domain to the logical network using the particular logical network identifier allocated to the logical network by the network management server in order to allow the logical network to span across at least first and second local domains such that a first virtual machine in the first domain communicates with a second virtual machine in the second domain; and a third interface for replicating information about the logical network to additional network management servers. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification