A network system that uses a cluster of edge nodes to send and receive multicast traffic is provided. The network system is a network virtualization environment that includes one or more distributed routers, each distributed router implemented by virtualization software running on one or more host machines. The network system also includes a cluster of edge nodes for sending data from the one or more distributed routers to one or more uplink/upstream physical routers outside of a datacenter and for receiving data from the physical routers to the distributed routers. One of the edge nodes is a designated edge node that queries for membership information for one or more multicast groups to be received by at least two edge nodes of the cluster of edge nodes. The cluster of edge nodes forwards multicast traffic to and from the distributed routers according to the received membership information.

Techniques are disclosed relating to implementing inter-application communication in a peer-to-peer fashion via a lease-based central registry. The central registry is configured to maintain application-layer routing information and to perform load balancing of the inter-application communication. A first application of a plurality of applications may send a lease request identifying the second application to the central registry. The first application receives a lease response that identifies a specific instance of a second application within a plurality of computing nodes and includes a resource allocation defining one or more limits on inter-application communication that the first application is permitted to perform with the specific instance of the second application. Based at least in part on the lease response, the first application performs inter-application communication directly with the specific instance of the second application subject to the one or more limits without requiring routing of the inter-application communication by another entity.

Techniques are disclosed relating to implementing inter-application communication in a peer-to-peer fashion via a lease-based central registry. The central registry is configured to maintain application-layer routing information and to perform load balancing of the inter-application communication. A first application of a plurality of applications may send a lease request identifying the second application to the central registry. The first application receives a lease response that identifies a specific instance of a second application within a plurality of computing nodes and includes a resource allocation defining one or more limits on inter-application communication that the first application is permitted to perform with the specific instance of the second application. Based at least in part on the lease response, the first application performs inter-application communication directly with the specific instance of the second application subject to the one or more limits without requiring routing of the inter-application communication by another entity.

Some embodiments provide a method for implementing a logical router in a logical network. In some embodiments, the method receives a configuration of a static route for the logical router, which includes several routing components with separate routing tables. The method identifies which of the routing components require addition of a route to a corresponding routing table to implement the configuration of the static route. The method adds the routes to the corresponding separate routing tables of the identified routing components.

The disclosure provides an approach for decentralizing control plane operations in a network environment that includes transport nodes configured to implement a logical overlay network. A method includes transmitting a global list of transport nodes to each of the plurality of transport nodes from a management plane, the global list including an ordered list of the plurality of transport nodes. The method also includes transmitting a neighbor index value to each of the plurality of transport nodes, where the transport nodes each compute a corresponding list of neighbor transport nodes based on the neighbor index value and the global list of transport nodes. The method also includes, based on determining an update to a state of the logical overlay network has occurred by a first transport node, transmitting an update message from the first transport node to each transport node in the first transport node's list of neighbor transport nodes.

The disclosure provides an approach for decentralizing control plane operations in a network environment that includes transport nodes configured to implement a logical overlay network. A method includes transmitting a global list of transport nodes to each of the plurality of transport nodes from a management plane, the global list including an ordered list of the plurality of transport nodes. The method also includes transmitting a neighbor index value to each of the plurality of transport nodes, where the transport nodes each compute a corresponding list of neighbor transport nodes based on the neighbor index value and the global list of transport nodes. The method also includes, based on determining an update to a state of the logical overlay network has occurred by a first transport node, transmitting an update message from the first transport node to each transport node in the first transport node's list of neighbor transport nodes.

In general, techniques are disclosed to facilitate communicating within computer networks. For example, a layer three (L3) router including a service card and an interface card may be configured to perform the techniques. The interface card receives a query from a network that sources communications in accordance with a plurality of models. The query may specify a customer device and one of the sourced communications, and request that the service card select one of the models for the specified sourced communication and the specified customer device. The service card further stores data defining a profile for the one of the customer devices. The service card may also, in response to the query, analyze the profile data for the specified customer device to determine the selected one of the models for the specified sourced communication with respect to the specified customer device.

In general, techniques are disclosed to facilitate communicating within computer networks. For example, a layer three (L3) router including a service card and an interface card may be configured to perform the techniques. The interface card receives a query from a network that sources communications in accordance with a plurality of models. The query may specify a customer device and one of the sourced communications, and request that the service card select one of the models for the specified sourced communication and the specified customer device. The service card further stores data defining a profile for the one of the customer devices. The service card may also, in response to the query, analyze the profile data for the specified customer device to determine the selected one of the models for the specified sourced communication with respect to the specified customer device.

A first network device may receive first traffic of a session that involves a service. The first network device may identify that the service is configured for distributed node processing. The first network device may identify a second network device that is configured for distributed node processing. The first network device may identify a state machine that is associated with the service. The first network device may determine, based on the state machine, a first function and a second function, wherein the first function is identified by a first label and the second function is identified by a second label. The first network device may process the first traffic based on the first function. The first network device may provide, to the second network device, the first traffic and the second label to permit the second network device to process second traffic in association with the second function.

Some embodiments provide policy-driven methods for deploying edge forwarding elements in a public or private SDDC for tenants or applications. For instance, the method of some embodiments allows administrators to create different traffic groups for different applications and/or tenants, deploys edge forwarding elements for the different traffic groups, and configures forwarding elements in the SDDC to direct data message flows of the applications and/or tenants through the edge forwarding elements deployed for them. The policy-driven method of some embodiments also dynamically deploys edge forwarding elements in the SDDC for applications and/or tenants after detecting the need for the edge forwarding elements based on monitored traffic flow conditions.