Systems and methods for network address translation

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

• identifying, by a controller that controls a network fabric, a plurality of switches in the network fabric, each switch having a module for network address translation (NAT), each switch being configured for forwarding packets received at the switch;
• identifying one or more hosts having at least one internal Internet Protocol (IP) address, and for each of the one or more hosts:
• selecting one of the switches from the plurality of switches for performing the NAT for the host, and
• configuring, by the controller, the network fabric to cause the selected switch to perform the NAT for the host to enable the host to communicate with an external network;
• detecting a new virtual machine connected to the network fabric;
• and
• selecting one of the switches from the plurality of switches for performing the NAT for the new virtual machine, the selecting being based, at least, on a load on each switch for performing the NAT and a distance from the new virtual machine to each of the switches.

A controller comprising:

• a network interface;
• a memory comprising instructions;
• and
• one or more computer processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:
• identifying a plurality of switches in a network fabric, each switch having a module for network address translation (NAT), each switch being configured for forwarding packets received at the switch;
• identifying one or more hosts having at least one internal Internet Protocol (IP) address, and for each of the one or more hosts:
• selecting one of the switches from the plurality of switches for performing the NAT for the host, and
• configuring the network fabric to cause the selected switch to perform the NAT for the host to enable the host to communicate with an external network;
• detecting a new virtual machine connected to the network fabric;
• and
• selecting one of the switches from the plurality of switches for performing the NAT for the new virtual machine, the selecting being based on a load on each switch for performing the NAT and a distance from the new virtual machine to each of the switches.