Network virtualization apparatus and method with a table mapping engine

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit generates physical control plane data from logical forwarding plane data, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

• detecting a change in input logical forwarding plane data tuples that define a logical data path set as a plurality of logical flow entries;
• selecting, upon detecting the change, a query plan from a plurality of different query plans for the input logical forwarding plane data tuples based on the change, the selected query plan comprising a set of database join operations;
• and
• executing the selected query plan on the input logical forwarding plane data tuples to generate output physical control plane data tuples that define rules for a set of managed switching elements to follow in order to effectuate processing of the logical data path set.

A method for managing a network comprising a plurality of network elements, the network elements comprising a plurality of managed switching elements that forward data among the network elements, the method comprising:

• receiving input logical forwarding plane data tuples from a user, the logical forwarding plane data tuples defining a logical data path set as a plurality of logical flow entries;
• storing the received input logical forwarding plane data tuples in a first set of tables;
• mapping the input logical forwarding plane data tuples to output physical control plane data tuples by performing a set of database join operations on the input logical forwarding plane data tuples, wherein the output physical control plane data tuples define rules for the managed switching elements to follow in order to implement the logical data path set when processing data packets;
• storing the output physical control plane data tuples in a second set of tables, wherein the stored output physical control plane data tuples are for subsequent distribution to the managed switching elements for translation by the managed switching elements into a set of physical data paths that defines forwarding behaviors of the managed switching elements.