Source imposition of network routes in computing networks

A method performed by a source computing device in a computing network having an underlay network and an overlay network implemented on the underlay network, the method comprising:

• when transmitting a packet from the source computing device to a destination virtual machine hosted on a destination computing device in the computing network,
• constructing, at the source computing device, a label stack to reach the destination virtual machine based on (i) a label descriptor corresponding to the destination computing device and (ii) a location of the destination computing device relative to the source computing device in the underlay network, the label descriptor contains a label value corresponding to a network route in the underlay network to reach the destination computing device;
• imposing, at the source computing device, the constructed label stack on the packet destined to the destination virtual machine hosted on the destination computing device;
• and
• transmitting, from the source computing device, the packet with the imposed label stack to the destination virtual machine via the computing network.

A source computing device in a computing network having an underlay network and an overlay network implemented on the underlay network, the source computing device comprising:

• a processor and a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the source computing device to:
• construct, at the source computing device, a label stack to reach a destination virtual machine based on a label descriptor corresponding to a destination computing device hosting the destination virtual machine, the label descriptor containing one or more label values corresponding to a network route in the underlay network to reach the destination computing device;
• impose, at the source computing device, the constructed label stack on a packet destined to the destination virtual machine;
• and
• transmit, from the source computing device, the packet with the imposed label stack to the destination virtual machine via the computing network.