Managing network ports in a virtualization environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12323291-B2
Application number	US-202016990099-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2020
Priority date	Aug 11, 2020
Publication date	Jun 3, 2025
Grant date	Jun 3, 2025

Abstract

Technology related managing network ports in a virtualization environment is disclosed. In one example, a method includes, without using operating system control, bonding a plurality of physical ports into a link aggregation group accessible from a network interface. A device function can be assigned to a virtual machine. The device function can be used for communicating between the network interface and the virtual machine via an interconnect. The device function can be used to forward network traffic between the virtual machine and the network interface, and across the link aggregation group.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method implemented by a network traffic management system comprising one or more network traffic management apparatuses, server devices, or client devices, the method comprising:
bonding a plurality of physical network ports into a link aggregation group accessible from a network interface using a virtual bonding interface of a network interface device that segregates port bundling functionality from an operating system of a host computer such that the host operating system of the host computer is not aware of the link aggregation group;
assigning a device function of the network interface device to a virtual machine, the device function used for communicating between the network interface and the virtual machine via an interconnect of the host computer, the virtual machine executing on the host computer;
using the device function to forward network traffic between the virtual machine and the network interface, and across the link aggregation group; and
without using operating system control, controlling an existing amount of bandwidth provided across the link aggregation group for network packets associated with the device function.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
assigning a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to the device function, the assigned VLAN identifier selected from a plurality of unassigned VLAN identifiers; and
using the VLAN identifier to forward the network traffic of the virtual machine across the link aggregation group.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting that the virtual machine is unhealthy based on a flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine; and
in response to detecting that the virtual machine is unhealthy, adjusting the flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
without using operating system control, prioritizing a network packet, based on the device function associated with the network packet, to send across the link aggregation group.

5. A system comprising one or more network traffic management modules, networking modules, or server modules, memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon, and one or more processors configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to:
bond a plurality of physical network ports into a link aggregation group accessible from a network interface using a virtual bonding interface of a network interface device that segregates port bundling functionality from an operating system of a host computer such that the operating system of the host computer is not aware of the link aggregation group;
assign a device function of the network interface device to a virtual machine, the device function used for communicating between the network interface and the virtual machine via an interconnect of the host computer, the virtual machine executing on the host computer;
use the device function to forward network traffic between the virtual machine and the network interface, and across the link aggregation group; and
without using operating system control, control an existing amount of bandwidth provided across the link aggregation group for network packets associated with the device function.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to:
assign a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to the device function, the assigned VLAN identifier selected from a plurality of unassigned VLAN identifiers; and
use the VLAN identifier to forward the network traffic of the virtual machine across the link aggregation group.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to:
detect that the virtual machine is unhealthy based on a flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine; and
in response to detecting that the virtual machine is unhealthy, adjust the flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to:
without using operating system control, prioritize a network packet, based on the device function associated with the network packet, to send across the link aggregation group.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions comprising executable code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to:
bond a plurality of physical network ports into a link aggregation group accessible from a network interface using a virtual bonding interface of a network interface device that segregates port bundling functionality from an operating system of a host computer such that the operating system of the host computer is not aware of the link aggregation group;
assign a device function of the network interface device to a virtual machine, the device function used for communicating between the network interface and the virtual machine via an interconnect of the host computer;
use the device function to forward network traffic between the virtual machine and the network interface, and across the link aggregation group; and
without using operating system control, control an existing amount of bandwidth provided across the link aggregation group for network packets associated with the device function.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise executable code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to:
assign a virtual local area network (VLAN) identifier to the device function, the assigned VLAN identifier selected from a plurality of unassigned VLAN identifiers; and
use the VLAN identifier to forward the network traffic of the virtual machine across the link aggregation group.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise executable code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to:
detect that the virtual machine is unhealthy based on a flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine; and
in response to detecting that the virtual machine is unhealthy, adjust the flow of network packets associated with the virtual machine.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions further comprise executable code that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the processors to:
without using operating system control, prioritize a network packet, based on the device function associated with the network packet, to send across the link aggregation group.

13. A network traffic management apparatus, comprising memory comprising programmed instructions stored thereon and one or more processors configured to be capable of executing the stored programmed instructions to:
bond a plurality of physical network ports into a link aggregation group accessible from a network interface using a virtual bonding interface of a network interface device that segregates port bundling functionality from an operating system of a host computer such that the operating system of the host computer is not aware of the link aggregation group;
assign a device function of the network interface device to a virtual machine, the device function used for communicating between the network interface and the virtual machine via an interconnect of the host computer, the virtual machine executing on the host computer;
use

Assignees

• F5 Networks Inc
• F5 Inc

Inventors

• Howard Ryan Robert

Classifications

• H04L47/41

  by acting on aggregated flows or links · CPC title

• H04L12/4641 Primary

  Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272) · CPC title

• G06F2009/45595

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

• G06F9/45558 Primary

  Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects · CPC title

• G06F9/5077

  Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources (specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455) · CPC title