MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL (MAC) ADDRESS ASSIGNMENT FOR VIRTUAL NETWORK INTERFACE CARDS (VNICs)

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes a set of instructions which, in response to execution by a processor of a first computer system, cause the processor to perform media access control (MAC) address assignment, wherein the method comprises:

• determining a first MAC address portion that is uniquely associated with the first computer system within a network environment that includes the first computer system and multiple second computer systems that are uniquely associated with respective multiple second MAC address portions;
• assigning a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) with a first MAC address that includes (a) the first MAC address portion and (b) a third MAC address portion that is uniquely associated with the first VNIC on the first computer system;
• and
• assigning a second VNIC with a second MAC address that includes (a) the first MAC address portion and (b) a fourth MAC address portion that is uniquely associated with the second VNIC on the first computer system;
• and
• performing traffic handling by forwarding first packets specifying the first MAC address assigned to the first VNIC, or second packets specifying the second MAC address assigned to the second VNIC.

A computer system, being a first computer system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the following:
• determine a first Media Access Control (MAC) address prefix that is uniquely associated with the first computer system within a network environment that includes the first computer system and multiple second computer systems that are uniquely associated with respective multiple second MAC address portions;
• assign a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) with a first MAC address that includes (a) the first MAC address portion and (b) a third MAC address portion that is uniquely associated with the first VNIC on the first computer system;
• and
• assign a second VNIC with a second MAC address that includes (a) the first MAC address portion and (b) a fourth MAC address portion that is uniquely associated with the second VNIC on the first computer system;
• and
• perform traffic handling by forwarding first packets specifying the first MAC address assigned to the first VNIC, or second packets specifying the second MAC address assigned to the second VNIC.