A method for processing data packets and implementing policies in a software defined network, SDN, of a virtual computing environment, by at least two SDN appliances (710, 810, 1000) configured to disaggregate enforcement of policies of the SDN from hosts of the virtual computing environment, the hosts implemented on servers (226, 1030) communicatively coupled to network interfaces of the SDN appliances, the servers hosting a plurality of virtual machines (228, 840), the servers communicatively coupled to network interfaces of at least two top-of-rack switches (1020, 1120, 1220, 1290), ToRs, each of the SDN appliances comprising a plurality of smart network interface cards (820, 930, 1010, 1280, 1130), sNICs. configured to implement functionality of the SDN appliance, the sNICs having a floating network interface configured to provide a virtual port connection to an endpoint within a virtual network of the virtual computing environment, a floating network interface being a network interface card, NIC, that can be attached and detached from a parent NIC, wherein: each sNIC that is associated with a first of the SDN appliances is paired with an sNIC associated with a second of the SDN appliances; each of the paired sNICs is configured to serve multiple floating network interfaces; each floating network interface is serviced by multiple ones of the paired sNICs; the method comprising: selecting one of the SDN appliances as an active SDN appliance, wherein the other SDN appliance is a passive SDN appliance; announcing a different virtual IP, VIP, via border gateway protocol, BGP, for each of the paired sNICs; configuring each of the multiple floating network interfaces to be serviced by at least two VIPs; splitting, by the ToRs, data traffic equally across different ones of the VIPs; and performing a flow synchronization process between paired sNICs as passive sNICs become active. each sNIC that is associated with a first of the SDN appliances is paired with an sNIC associated with a second of the SDN appliances; each of the paired sNICs is configured to serve multiple floating network interfaces; each floating network interface is serviced by multiple ones of the paired sNICs; the method comprising: selecting one of the SDN appliances as an active SDN appliance, wherein the other SDN appliance is a passive SDN appliance; announcing a different virtual IP, VIP, via border gateway protocol, BGP, for each of the paired sNICs; configuring each of the multiple floating network interfaces to be serviced by at least two VIPs; splitting, by the ToRs, data traffic equally across different ones of the VIPs; and performing a flow synchronization process between paired sNICs as passive sNICs become active. selecting one of the SDN appliances as an active SDN appliance, wherein the other SDN appliance is a passive SDN appliance; announcing a different virtual IP, VIP, via border gateway protocol, BGP, for each of the paired sNICs; configuring each of the multiple floating network interfaces to be serviced by at least two VIPs; splitting, by the ToRs, data traffic equally across different ones of the VIPs; and performing a flow synchronization process between paired sNICs as passive sNICs become active.