US 8,644,188 B1Granted

Providing virtual networking functionality for managed computer networks

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsEric Jason Brandwine, Peter J. Hill

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Techniques are described for providing virtual networking functionality for managed computer networks. In some situations, a user may configure or otherwise specify one or more virtual local area networks (“VLANs”) for a managed computer network being provided for the user, such as with each VLAN including multiple computing nodes of the managed computer network. Networking functionality corresponding to the specified VLAN(s) may then be provided in various manners, such as if the managed computer network itself is a distinct virtual computer network overlaid on one or more other computer networks, and communications between computing nodes of the managed virtual computer network are handled in accordance with the specified VLAN(s) of the managed virtual computer network by emulating functionality that would be provided by networking devices of the managed virtual computer network if they were physically present and configured to support the specified VLAN(s).

Claims23

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving configuration information for a first virtual computer network having a plurality of computing nodes and having a first virtual local area network that includes a first computing node and one or more other computing nodes of the plurality of computing nodes, the configuration information further specifying that the first computing node uses a first communication link configured to be associated with multiple virtual local area networks;
and
providing, by one or more configured computing systems, the first virtual computer network in accordance with the received configuration information by overlaying the first virtual computer network on a distinct substrate network and by emulating functionality corresponding to the first virtual local area network by:
initiating, by the one or more configured computing systems, forwarding of a communication over the substrate network to the first computing node without the forwarded communication including an identifier specific to the first virtual local area network;
after the forwarding of the communication over the substrate network, modifying, by the one or more configured computing systems, the communication to include the identifier specific to the first virtual local area network based on the first computing node being included in the first virtual local area network and based on the first communication link being configured to be associated with multiple virtual local area networks;
and
providing, by the one or more configured computing systems, the modified communication to the first computing node.

4 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored contents that configure a computing system to:

obtaining configuration information for a first computer network overlaid on a distinct substrate network, the configuration information indicating that the first computer network includes a specified virtual local area network;
and
by the configured computing system, a communication sent to a first computing node of the specified virtual local area network in a manner that logically implements functionality of the specified virtual local area network, by:
using a substrate network address associated with the first computing node to initiate forwarding of the communication over the substrate network to the first computing node without the substrate network using any information about the specified virtual local area network;
and
determining that the first computing node is configured to use a first communication link of the first computer network that is not configured to be associated only with the specified virtual local area network;
after the forwarding of the communication over the substrate network, modifying the forwarded communication to include an identifier specific to the specified virtual local area network based on the first computing node being configured to use the first communication link and on the first communication link not being configured to be associated only with the specified virtual local area network;
and
providing to the first computing node modified forwarded communication.

6 more elements

A system comprising:

one or more processors of one or more computing systems;
and
a module that is configured to, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, provide networking functionality for a first virtual computer network that has a specified virtual local area network logically interconnecting multiple computing nodes, by:
initiating forwarding, without using any information corresponding to the specified virtual local area network, of a communication to a first computing node of the multiple computing nodes via at least one physical networking devices of one or more intermediate networks on which the first virtual computer network is implemented;
before providing the forwarded communication to the first computing node, determining to modify the communication to include an identifier specific to the specified virtual local area network based at least in part on a type of communication link in the first virtual computer network that the first computing node is configured to use;
and
initiating providing the modified communication to the first computing node.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/491,818Filed 25 Jun 2009
Granted: 4 Feb 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04L 12/4666
Details on frame tagging: operational details on the addition or the stripping of a tag in a frame, e.g. at a provider edge node
G06F 9/45558
Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors: hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
H04L 12/4641
Interconnection of networks: virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN]
H04L 12/4645
Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN]: details on frame tagging