Upgrading a proxy that decouples network connections from an application during application's downtime

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method for upgrading a proxy instance that receives incoming data destined for an application, as an intermediary between the application and a network interface of a machine. The method of some embodiments receives a notification that an updated version of a first proxy instance is available. The first proxy includes a process on machine that receives incoming network data sent for a particular application executing on the machine from a network interface of the machine. Upon receiving the notification, the method instantiates a second proxy instance that is the updated version of the first proxy instance. The method then seamlessly transfers the incoming network data from the first proxy instance to the second proxy instance such that the second proxy instance continues on performing a set of responsibilities of the first proxy instance without any interruption.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.