Using mpls for virtual private cloud network isolation in openflow-enabled cloud computing

A system for managing a multi-protocol label switching (“MPLS”) cloud network comprising:

• a plurality of top of rack switches (“TORS”);
• a plurality of virtualized servers, each virtualized server coupled to one of the plurality of TORSs and comprising:
• a hypervisor configured to execute one or more virtual machines (“VM”) on the virtualized server, and
• a virtual switch configured to support MPLS and to transmit data packets from the one or more VMs to the TORS coupled with this virtualized server;
• a cloud execution manager (“CEM”) coupled to the plurality of virtualized servers and configured to:
• schedule execution of the one or more VMs, each VM to be executed on one of the plurality of virtualized servers,
• suspend execution of the one or more VMs, and
• move execution of the one or more VMs from one of the plurality of virtualized servers to another one of the plurality of virtualized servers;
• a cloud network manager (“CNM”) coupled to the plurality of TORSs, the plurality of virtualized servers, and the CEM, the CNM configured to:
• receive a first notification message from the CEM, wherein the first notification message is to indicate that a first VM has been scheduled for activation on a first of the plurality of virtualized servers;
• in response to the first notification message:
• determine a first VM media access control (“MAC”) address associated with the first VM,
• determine first virtual switch MAC address associated with the first virtual switch in the first virtualized server,
• record, in an address mapping table, an association between the first VM MAC address and the first virtual switch MAC address,
• determine a first MPLS label to associate a first TORS with the first virtual switch, wherein the first TORS is to be coupled with the first virtualized server, and
• send a first flow entry modification message to the first virtual switch to indicate that data packets that match the first MPLS label and the first VM MAC address should be forwarded the first VM.

A cloud network manager (“CNM”) for managing multi-protocol label switching (“MPLS”) flow entries in a cloud network, the CNM coupled to a first virtualized server for hosting one or more virtual machines (“VM”) wherein the first virtualized server comprises a first virtual switch that supports MPLS and the first virtual switch is coupled to a first top of rack switch (“TORS”) that supports MPLS, the CNM configured to:

• receive a first notification message, wherein the first notification message is to indicate that a first VM has been scheduled for activation on the first virtualized server;
• in response to the first notification message, the CNM further configured to:
• determine a first VM media access control (“MAC”) address associated with the first VM,
• determine a first virtual switch MAC address associated with the first virtual switch,
• record, in an address mapping table, an association between the first VM MAC address and the first virtual switch MAC address,
• determine a first MPLS label to associate the first TORS with the first virtual switch, and
• send a first flow entry modification message to the first virtual switch to indicate that data packets that match the first MPLS label and the first VM MAC address should be forwarded the first VM.