Network policy implementation with multiple interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11036529-B2
Application number	US-202016788879-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2020
Priority date	Jun 28, 2012
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

The transmission of data on computer networks according to one or more policies is disclosed. A policy may specify, among other things, various parameters which are to be followed when transmitting initiating network traffic. Multiple network interfaces may be installed on a server to enable transmission of data from the single server according a number of discrete configuration settings implicated by the various policies. The multiple network interfaces may correspond to separate physical components, with each component configured independently to implement a feature of a policy. The multiple network interfaces may also correspond to a single physical component that exposes multiple network interfaces, both to the network and to the server on which it is installed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
as implemented by a computing system comprising one or more processors configured to execute specific instructions,
executing a software instance;
assigning a first network interface and a second network interface to the software instance, wherein the first network interface is associated with a first network hardware queue of the computing system, wherein the second network interface is associated with a second network hardware queue of the computing system, and wherein the software instance selects which of the first network interface and the second network interface to use to transmit data over a network; and
transmitting data over the network on behalf of the software instance using a network hardware queue associated with a network interface selected by the software instance from the first network interface and the second network interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the computing system based at least partly on the first network interface being associated with a configuration setting that satisfies a network policy of the software instance.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting the second network interface from the plurality of network interfaces based at least partly on the second network interface being associated with a second configuration setting that satisfies a second network policy of the software instance, wherein the second network policy is different than the first network policy.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the computing system based at least partly on a value of a maximum transmission unit configuration setting associated with the first network interface.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the computing system based at least partly on a value of an interrupt coalescing configuration setting associated with the first network interface.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the first network interface to the software instance comprises assigning a first virtual network interface of a plurality of virtual network interfaces of the computing system.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the first network interface to the software instance comprises assigning a first physical network interface of a plurality of physical network interfaces of the computing system.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the computing system, wherein the plurality of network interfaces comprises at least one virtual interface and at least one physical interface.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
executing a second software instance;
assigning the first network interface to the second software instance such that the first network interface is assigned to both the software instance and the second software instance; and
transmitting data over the network on behalf of the second software instance using a network hardware queue associated with the first network interface.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein executing the software instance comprises executing one of a virtual machine instance or an application instance.

11. A system comprising:
computer-readable memory storing executable instructions; and
one or more processors in communication with the computer-readable memory and configured by the executable instructions to at least:
execute a software instance;
assign a first network interface and a second network interface to the software instance, wherein the first network interface is associated with a first network hardware queue of the system, wherein the second network interface is associated with a second network hardware queue of the system, and wherein the software instance selects which of the first network interface and the second network interface to use to transmit data over a network; and
transmit data over the network on behalf of the software instance using a network hardware queue associated with a network interface selected by the software instance from the first network interface and the second network interface.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to select the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the system based at least partly on the first network interface being associated with a configuration setting that satisfies a network policy of the software instance.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to select the second network interface from the plurality of network interfaces based at least partly on the second network interface being associated with a second configuration setting that satisfies a second network policy of the software instance, wherein the second network policy is different than the first network policy.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to select the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the system based at least partly on a value of a maximum transmission unit configuration setting associated with the first network interface.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to select the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the system based at least partly on a value of an interrupt coalescing configuration setting associated with the first network interface.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein to assign the first network interface to the software instance, the one or more processors are configured by the executable instructions to assign a first virtual network interface of a plurality of virtual network interfaces of the system.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein to assign the first network interface to the software instance, the one or more processors are configured by the executable instructions to assign a first physical network interface of a plurality of physical network interfaces of the system.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to select the first network interface from a plurality of network interfaces of the system, wherein the plurality of network interfaces comprises at least one virtual interface and at least one physical interface.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to:
execute a second software instance;
assign the first network interface to the second software instance such that the first network interface is assigned to both the software instance and the second software instance; and
transmit data over the network on behalf of the second software instance using a network hardware queue associated with the first network interface.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the software instance comprises one of a virtual machine instance or an ap

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Klein Matthew D
• Marr Michael David
• Mckelvie Samuel J

Classifications

• G06F9/45558 Primary

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F9/45533 Primary

  Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors · CPC title

• G06F2009/45595

  Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances · CPC title

• G06F2009/45575

  Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances · CPC title