Policy based configuration of interfaces in a virtual machine environment

An apparatus comprising:

• a port profile manager at a distributed virtual switch for creating a port profile defining a common set of configuration policies for automatic application to one or more interfaces comprising virtual machine interfaces of one or more virtual machines;
• a management interface for receiving a mapping of said port profile to said one or more interfaces;
• and
• memory for storing said mapping;
• wherein the distributed virtual switch is operable to configure said one or more interfaces according to said port configuration policies and said port profile is configured such that two of said virtual machine interfaces at one of the virtual machines may be mapped to different port profiles;
• wherein said port profile manager is configured to associate said port profile with a parent port profile so that said port profile inherits port configuration policies associated with said parent port profile in an inheritance chain formed through static mapping between port profiles, said one or more interfaces configured according to said inherited port configuration policies;
• and
• wherein a change to said port profile propagates to all of said interfaces associated with said port profile.

Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for execution and when executed operable to:

• create at a distributed virtual switch, a port profile defining a common set of configuration policies for automatic application to one or more interfaces comprising virtual machine interfaces of one or more virtual machines;
• export said port profile to a management station;
• receive a mapping of said port profile to said one or more interfaces from the management station;
• configure said one or more interfaces according to said mapping and said port configuration policies of said port profile;
• associate said port profile with a parent port profile so that said port profile inherits port configuration policies associated with said parent profile in an inheritance chain formed through static mapping between port profiles, wherein said one or more interfaces are configured according to said inherited port configuration policies;
• and
• receive a change to said port profile, wherein said change propagates to all of said interfaces associated with said port profile;
• wherein said port profile is configured such that two of said virtual machine interfaces at one of the virtual machines may be mapped to different port profiles.