Stateful connection optimization over stretched networks using packet introspection

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed by one or more processors, performs operations for optimizing connections over an extended network that spans a first computing system and a second computing system, the first computing system comprising a first plurality of virtual computing instances running on a first plurality of physical hosts and a first router, the second computing system comprising a second plurality of virtual computing instances running on a second plurality of physical hosts and a second router, wherein the second router is configured as a default gateway for the extended network including the first plurality of virtual computing instances and the second plurality of virtual computing instances, the operations comprising:

• configuring hypervisor filters in the first plurality of physical hosts with information indicating Internet protocol (IP) addresses of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system;
• and
• configuring the hypervisor filters with at least one traffic filtering rule to divert packets having destination IP addresses of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system to the first router,
• wherein, based on the at least one traffic filtering rule, the configured hypervisor filters:
• receive packets which are sent by the first plurality of virtual computing instances, each packet including a destination IP address of at least one of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system and a destination media access control (MAC) address of the second router that is not local to the first computing system;
• and
• modify the packets to include the destination MAC address of the first router that is local to the first computing system so the packets are forwarded to the first router in the first computing system instead of the second router in the second computing system that is configured as the default gateway.

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory, wherein the memory includes a program executable in the processor to perform operations for optimizing connections over an extended network that spans a first computing system and a second computing system, the first computing system comprising a first plurality of virtual computing instances running on a first plurality of physical hosts and a first router, the second computing system comprising a second plurality of virtual computing instances running on a second plurality of physical hosts and a second router, wherein the second router is configured as a default gateway for the extended network including the first plurality of virtual computing instances and the second plurality of virtual computing instances, the operations comprising:
• configuring hypervisor filters in the first plurality of physical hosts with information indicating Internet protocol (IP) addresses of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system;
• and
• configuring the hypervisor filters with at least one traffic filtering rule to divert packets having destination IP addresses of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system to the first router,
• wherein, based on the at least one traffic filtering rule, the configured hypervisor filters:
• receive packets which are sent by the first plurality of virtual computing instances, each packet including a destination IP address of at least one of the first plurality of virtual computing instances that are local to the first computing system and a destination media access control (MAC) address of the second router that is not local to the first computing system;
• and
• modify the packets to include the destination MAC address of the first router that is local to the first computing system so the packets are forwarded to the first router in the first computing system instead of the second router in the second computing system that is configured as the default gateway.