Method and apparatus for integrating a service virtual machine

摘要

For a host that executes one or more guest virtual machines (GVMs), some embodiments provide a novel virtualization architecture for utilizing a firewall service virtual machine (SVM) on the host to check the packets sent by and/or received for the GVMs. In some embodiments, the GVMs connect to a software forwarding element (e.g., a software switch) that executes on the host to connect to each other and to other devices operating outside of the host. Instead of connecting the firewall SVM to the host's software forwarding element that connects its GVMs, the virtualization architecture of some embodiments provides an SVM interface (SVMI) through which the firewall SVM can be accessed to check the packets sent by and/or received for the GVMs.

主权项

1. An apparatus for incorporating a service on a host, the apparatus comprising:
a plurality of guest virtual machines (GVMs) executing on the host; a physical forwarding element (PFE) executing on the host, the PFE connecting to the GVMs to connect the GVMs to each other and to other devices outside of the host; a service virtual machine (SVM) that is a virtual machine that also executes on the host but not connected to the PFE, the SVM for providing the service to at least a subset of the GVMs; and an SVM interface (SVMI) through which the SVM receives data regarding GVM packets in order to perform the service for the subset of the GVMs.