Patent attributes
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include virtualization software of a host computer receiving a first packet addressed to a first virtual link layer address. Each of a first plurality of virtual machines on the first host computer is configured to share the first virtual link layer address. The virtualization software of the first host computer maps a flow of packets, including the first packet, to a first virtual machine within the first plurality of virtual machines and forwards the first packet to the first virtual machine. The virtualization software of the first host computer receives a second packet from the first virtual machine in response to the first packet. The second packet includes the first virtual link layer address as a source address for the first virtual machine.