Paul M Ingram

US Patent:

20100257263, Oct 7, 2010

Filed:

Apr 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/753044

Inventors:

Martin Casado - Menlo Park CA, US
Paul Ingram - Palo Alto CA, US
Keith Eric Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Benjamin Levy Pfaff - Redwood City CA, US
Justin Pettit - San Jose CA, US
Daniel J. Wendlandt - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

NICIRA NETWORKS, INC. - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

G06F 9/455
G06F 15/173

US Classification:

709223, 718 1

Abstract:

In general, the present invention relates to a virtual platform in which one or more distributed virtual switches can be created for use in virtual networking. According to some aspects, the distributed virtual switch according to the invention provides the ability for virtual and physical machines to more readily, securely, and efficiently communicate with each other even if they are not located on the same physical host and/or in the same subnet or VLAN. According other aspects, the distributed virtual switches of the invention can support integration with traditional IP networks and support sophisticated IP technologies including NAT functionality, stateful firewalling, and notifying the IP network of workload migration. According to further aspects, the virtual platform of the invention creates one or more distributed virtual switches which may be allocated to a tenant, application, or other entity requiring isolation and/or independent configuration state. According to still further aspects, the virtual platform of the invention manages and/or uses VLAN or tunnels (e.g, GRE) to create a distributed virtual switch for a network while working with existing switches and routers in the network. The present invention finds utility in both enterprise networks, datacenters and other facilities.

US Patent:

20130058229, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Aug 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/218470

Inventors:

Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US
Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Pankaj Thakkar - Santa Clara CA, US
W. Andrew Lambeth - San Mateo CA, US
Alexander Yip - Menlo Park CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/26

US Classification:

370252

Abstract:

For a network that includes several managed edge switching elements and several managed non-edge switching elements that are for implementing a logical switching element, some embodiments provide a method of distributing packet processing across the several managed non-edge switching elements. The method receives a packet for processing through the logical switching element. Based on a determination that the packet needs to be processed by a managed non-edge switching element, the method determines a particular managed non-edge switching element of the several managed non-edge switching elements to forward the packet. The method forwards the packet to the particular managed non-edge switching element for the particular managed non-edge switching element to process the packet.

US Patent:

20130058250, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Jul 6, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/177535

Inventors:

Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US
Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Pankaj Thakkar - Santa Clara CA, US
W. Andrew Lambeth - San Mateo CA, US
Alexander Yip - Menlo Park CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/28

US Classification:

370254

Abstract:

Some embodiments provide a method for managing several managed switching elements in a network. The method determines configurations for the several managed switching elements to implement a first logical data path set. Based on the determined configurations, the method configures a first set of the several managed switching elements to implement the first logical data path set. The method configures a second set of the several managed switching elements to implement a second logical data path set.

US Patent:

20130058334, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Sep 6, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/225553

Inventors:

Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US
Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370390, 370400, 370392, 370409

Abstract:

Some embodiments provide a managed network for implementing a logical switching element. The managed network includes several managed edge switching elements that are each for (1) receiving packets for forwarding through the logical switching element and (2) forwarding packets that are known to the managed edge switching element to other managed edge switching elements in the several managed edge switching elements. The managed network includes a set of managed non-edge switching elements for (1) receiving packets from the several managed edge switching elements that are unknown to a particular managed edge switching element in the several managed edge switching elements and (2) forwarding packets to the several managed edge switching elements that are unknown to the several managed edge switching elements.

US Patent:

20130058335, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Jul 6, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/543784

Inventors:

Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US
Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370390, 370400, 370392

Abstract:

Some embodiments provide a method that processes network data through a network. The method receives a packet destined for a network host associated with a logical datapath set implemented by a set of managed edge switching elements and a set of managed non-edge switching elements in the network. The method determines whether the packet is a known packet. When the packet is a known packet, the method forwards the packet to a managed switching element in the set of managed edge switching elements for forwarding to the network host. When the packet is not a known packet, the method forwards the packet to a managed switching element in the set of managed non-edge switching elements for further processing.

US Patent:

20130058354, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Aug 26, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/218471

Inventors:

Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US
Paul Fazzone - San Jose CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
W. Andrew Lambeth - San Mateo CA, US
Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370401

Abstract:

Some embodiments provide a network system that includes a first network and a second network. The first network includes several unmanaged switching elements. The second network includes several managed switching elements. The network system includes a particular managed switching element for communicating network data between the first and second networks.

US Patent:

20130058358, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Jul 6, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/177545

Inventors:

Bryan J. Fulton - San Francisco CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US
Pankaj Thakkar - Santa Clara CA, US

International Classification:

H04L 12/56

US Classification:

370412

Abstract:

A control application of some embodiments allows a user to enable a logical switching element for Quality of Service (QoS). QoS in some embodiments is a technique to apply to a particular logical port of a logical switching element such that the switching element can guarantee a certain level of performance to network data that a machine sends through the particular logical port. The control application of some embodiments receives user inputs that specify a particular logical switch to enable for QoS. The control application may additionally receive performance constraints data. The control application in some embodiments formats the user inputs into logical control plane data. The control application in some embodiments then converts the logical control plane data into logical forwarding data that specify QoS functions.

US Patent:

20130060940, Mar 7, 2013

Filed:

Jul 6, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/177536

Inventors:

Teemu Koponen - San Francisco CA, US
Martin Casado - Portola Valley CA, US
Paul S. Ingram - Menlo Park CA, US
W. Andrew Lambeth - San Mateo CA, US
Keith E. Amidon - Los Altos CA, US
Daniel J. Wendlandt - Palo Alto CA, US

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709225

Abstract:

Some embodiments of the invention provide a robust scaling-out of network functionality by providing a software layer, called the network hypervisor, that sits between the network forwarding functions (i.e., the forwarding plane) and the network control interfaces (i.e., the control plane). The network hypervisor of some embodiments provides a logical abstraction of the network's forwarding functionality, so that network operators make their control decisions in terms of this abstraction, independent of the details of the underlying networking hardware. The network hypervisor of some embodiments may then “compile” commands placed against this abstraction into configurations of the underlying hardware. Accordingly, in some embodiments, there are two design challenges: (1) the choice of the network abstraction, and (2) the technology needed to compile the logical “abstract” controls into low-level configurations.