Virtual switching overlay for cloud computing

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving data at a virtual switch located at a network device in a cloud network. The data is received from an external network and destined for one or more virtual machines located in the cloud network and associated with the external network. The method further includes transmitting the data from the virtual switch to the virtual machines. The virtual switch operates as an access layer switch for the external network and creates a virtual switching overlay for secure communication between the virtual machines and the external network. Logic and an apparatus are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving data at a virtual switch located at a network device in a cloud network, said data received from an external network and destined for one or more virtual machines located in the cloud network and associated with the external network; and 
 transmitting said data from the virtual switch to said one or more virtual machines; 
 wherein the virtual switch operates as an access layer switch for the external network and creates a virtual switching overlay for secure communication between the virtual machines and the external network. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the external network is an enterprise network and the cloud network is a virtual private cloud in a service provider network. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting said data comprises encapsulating said data for transmittal over a layer 3 network. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting said data comprises transmitting said data over a virtual wire to an agent installed at one of the virtual machines. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein said data is received over a virtual private network connection between the cloud network and the external network. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting said data comprises utilizing a layer 2 tunneling protocol over a secure Internet protocol. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1  further comprising securely transmitting data received from one of the virtual machines to a virtual switch in the external network. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  further comprising signaling MAC addresses of the virtual machines to the external network. 
     
     
       9. Logic encoded in one or more tangible non-transitory media for execution and when executed operable to:
 switch data between virtual machines located in a cloud network; 
 forward data to an external network; 
 perform access layer switch operations for the external network; and 
 create a virtual switching overlay for secure communication of said data between the virtual machines and the external network. 
 
     
     
       10. The logic of  claim 9  wherein the external network is an enterprise network and the cloud network is a virtual private cloud in a service provider network. 
     
     
       11. The logic of  claim 9  wherein the logic is further operable to encapsulate said data for transmittal over a layer 3 network. 
     
     
       12. The logic of  claim 9  wherein said data is forwarded to the external network over a virtual private network connection between the cloud network and the external network. 
     
     
       13. The logic of  claim 9  wherein said data is forwarded utilizing a layer 2 tunneling protocol over a secure Internet protocol. 
     
     
       14. The logic of  claim 9  wherein the logic is further operable to signal MAC addresses of the virtual machines to the external network. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus comprising
 means for receiving data at a virtual switch in a cloud network, said data received from an external network and destined for one or more virtual machines located in the cloud network and associated with the external network; and 
 means for transmitting said data from the virtual switch to said one or more virtual machines; 
 wherein the virtual switch operates as an access layer switch for the external network and creates a virtual switching overlay for secure communication between the virtual machines and the external network. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the external network is an enterprise network and the cloud network is a virtual private cloud in a service provider network. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein means for transmitting said data comprises means for encapsulating said data for transmittal over a layer 3 network. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein means for transmitting said data comprises means for transmitting said data over a virtual wire to an agent installed at the virtual machine. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein said data is received over a virtual private network connection between the cloud network and the external network. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising means for signaling MAC addresses of the virtual machines to the external network. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 1, wherein data transmitted between the virtual switch and the external network is transmitted via secure tunnel communication. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 1, wherein data transmitted between the virtual switch and the one or more virtual machines is encapsulated. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 22, wherein the one or more virtual machines and the external network are part of a single overlay network. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 1, wherein the cloud network is in a first datacenter and the external network is in a second datacenter. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual switch is located in one of the one or more virtual machines located in the cloud network. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating an additional virtual switch in response to a limit of the virtual switch being reached. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating one or more agents with said one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, wherein transmitting said data comprises transmitting said data over a secure connection to one of the one or more agents associated with one of said one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more virtual machines has a set of policies and/or attributes that are applied as the virtual machine comes online in the cloud network. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual switch further comprises a virtual supervisor module that provides control plane functionality. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual Ethernet module that operates as a data plane. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual switch is connected to a central management station. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:
 accessing and performing management functions on the virtual switch.   
     
     
       34. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual supervisor module and a virtual Ethernet module. 
     
     
       35. The logic of claim 9, wherein data forwarded to the external network is transmitted via secure tunnel communication. 
     
     
       36. The logic of claim 9, wherein the cloud network is in a first datacenter and the external network is in a second datacenter. 
     
     
       37. The logic of claim 9, wherein each of the virtual machines has a set of policies and/or attributes that are applied as the virtual machine comes online in the cloud network. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein data transmitted between the virtual switch from the external network is transmitted via secure tunnel communication. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein data transmitted between the virtual switch and the one or more virtual machines is encapsulated. 
     
     
       40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the one or more virtual machines and the external network are part of a single overlay network. 
     
     
       41. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cloud network is in a first datacenter and the external network is in a second datacenter. 
     
     
       42. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the virtual switch is located in a virtual machine located in the cloud network. 
     
     
       43. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein an additional virtual switch is created in response to a limit of the virtual switch being reached. 
     
     
       44. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein one or more agents are associated with said one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the means for transmitting said data causes transmission of said data over a secure connection to one of the one or more agents associated with one of said one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       46. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more virtual machines has a set of policies and/or attributes that are applied as the virtual machine comes online in the cloud network. 
     
     
       47. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual supervisor module that provides control plane functionality. 
     
     
       48. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual Ethernet module that operates as a data plane. 
     
     
       49. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the virtual switch is connected to a central management station. 
     
     
       50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the virtual switch is configured to enable access by an administrator to perform management functions on the virtual switch. 
     
     
       51. A system comprising:
 a first data center associated with an enterprise; and   a second data center that includes a virtual switch and one or more virtual machines in a cloud network associated with the enterprise;   wherein the virtual switch is configured to:
 receive data from the first data center and destined for the one or more virtual machines; and 
 operate as an access layer switch for the first data center and create a virtual switching overlay for secure communication between the one or more virtual machines and the first data center by encapsulating said data for transmission to said one or more virtual machines. 
   
     
     
       52. The system of claim 51, wherein data transmitted between the virtual switch and the first data center is transmitted via secure tunnel communication. 
     
     
       53. The system of claim 51, wherein the one or more virtual machines and the first data center are part of a single overlay network. 
     
     
       54. The system of claim 51, wherein the virtual switch is located in one of the one or more virtual machines located in the second data center. 
     
     
       55. The system of claim 51, further comprising an additional virtual switch that is created in response to a limit of the virtual switch being reached. 
     
     
       56. The system of claim 51, further comprising one or more agents associated with the one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       57. The system of claim 56, wherein the virtual switch is configured to transmit said data over a secure connection to one of the one or more agents associated with one of said one or more virtual machines. 
     
     
       58. The system of claim 51, wherein each of the one or more virtual machines has a set of policies and/or attributes that are applied as the virtual machine comes online in the second data center. 
     
     
       59. The system of claim 51, wherein the virtual switch further comprises a virtual supervisor module that provides control plane functionality. 
     
     
       60. The system of claim 51, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual Ethernet module that operates as a data plane. 
     
     
       61. The system of claim 51, further comprising a central management station that is in communication with the virtual switch. 
     
     
       62. The system of claim 61, wherein the central management station is configured to access and perform management functions on the virtual switch. 
     
     
       63. The system of claim 51, wherein the virtual switch comprises a virtual supervisor module and a virtual Ethernet module.