Provisioning network segments based on tenant identity

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a segment identifier (ID) manager, a request for a particular device in a computer network for a unique segment ID for a network segment comprising one or more devices sharing a unique tenant ID, the request having a request-context that includes at least the unique tenant ID and a protocol of the network segment;
• determining if the unique segment ID was previously generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment;
• instantiating the unique segment ID for the unique tenant ID and the protocol if the unique segment ID was not previously generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment;
• generating a response for the request, the response indicating the unique segment ID for the network segment based on the request-context;
• and
• transmitting the response to the particular device.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces adapted to communicate in a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• generate a request for a particular device in the computer network for a unique segment identifier (ID) for a network segment comprising one or more devices sharing a unique tenant ID, the request having a request-context that includes at least the unique tenant ID and a protocol of the network segment;
• transmit the request to a segment ID manager;
• receive a response from the segment ID manager, the response indicating the unique segment ID for the network segment based on the request-context;
• and
• configure the particular device to communicate on the network segment with the one or more devices based on the unique segment ID of the response.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces adapted to communicate in a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• receive a request for a particular device in the computer network for a unique segment identifier (ID) for a network segment comprising one or more devices sharing a unique tenant ID, the request having a request-context that includes at least the unique tenant ID and a protocol of the network segment;
• determine if the unique segment ID was previously generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment;
• instantiate the unique segment ID for the unique tenant ID and the protocol if the unique segment ID was not previously generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment;
• generate a response for the request, the response indicating the unique segment ID for the network segment based on the request-context;
• and
• transmit the response to the particular device.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of devices, each configured to generate a request for a unique segment identifier (ID) for a network segment, the request having a request-context that includes at least a unique tenant ID for the plurality of devices and a protocol of the corresponding network segment;
• a segment ID manager configured to receive the requests, determine if the unique segment ID has already been generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment, instantiate the unique segment ID for the unique tenant ID and the identified protocol if the unique segment ID was not previously generated for the unique tenant ID and the protocol of the network segment, and transmit a response for each of the received requests that indicates the unique segment ID for the corresponding network segment;
• and
• wherein the devices are configured to receive the response for the respective request and are configured to communicate on the corresponding network segment based on the unique segment ID of the response.