US 11,894,949 B2 · Identifying multiple nodes in a virtual network defined over a set of public clouds to connect to an external SaaS provider

Abstract

Some embodiments establish for an entity a virtual network over several public clouds of several public cloud providers and/or in several regions. In some embodiments, the virtual network is an overlay network that spans across several public clouds to interconnect one or more private networks (e.g., networks within branches, divisions, departments of the entity or their associated datacenters), mobile users, and SaaS (Software as a Service) provider machines, and other web applications of the entity. The virtual network in some embodiments can be configured to optimize the routing of the entity's data messages to their destinations for best end-to-end performance, reliability and security, while trying to minimize the routing of this traffic through the Internet. Also, the virtual network in some embodiments can be configured to optimize the layer 4 processing of the data message flows passing through the network.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for defining multiple routes to a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider through a virtual network defined by a plurality of managed routers deployed in a set of one or more one public clouds, the method comprising:

providing, to each of a plurality of measurement agents deployed in the set of public clouds, an identifier identifying the SaaS provider for the measurement agent to generate a measurement that quantifies an attribute of a network path between the measurement agent and the identified SaaS provider, wherein the identifier for the SaaS provider is a network address associated with a set of one or more datacenters of the SaaS provider;
receiving, from each measurement agent, measurements for the identified SaaS provider;
based on the received measurements, selecting a set of at least two managed forwarding nodes (MFNs), deployed in one or more public clouds of the set of public clouds, to use to reach the SaaS provider from the virtual network;
and
using the selected set of at least two MFNs to define routes through the virtual network to the SaaS provider.

2 more elements

A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program for defining multiple routes to a SaaS (Software as a Service) provider through a virtual network defined by a plurality of managed routers deployed in a set of one or more one public clouds, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

providing, to each of a plurality of measurement agents deployed in the set of public clouds, an identifier identifying the SaaS provider for the measurement agent to generate a measurement that quantifies an attribute of a network path between the measurement agent and the identified SaaS provider, wherein the identifier for the SaaS provider is a network address associated with a set of one or more datacenters of the SaaS provider;
receiving, from each measurement agent, measurements for the identified SaaS provider;
based on the received measurements, selecting a set of at least two managed forwarding nodes (MFNs), deployed in one or more public clouds of the set of public clouds, to use to reach the SaaS provider from the virtual network;
and
using the selected set of at least two MFNs to define routes through the virtual network to the SaaS provider.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Identifying multiple nodes in a virtual network defined over a set of public clouds to connect to an external SaaS provider

Life of this patent

Identifying multiple nodes in a virtual network defined over a set of public clouds to connect to an external SaaS provider

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16