Patent ID: 8892706

Claim:
A computer implemented method for private networking within a virtual infrastructure, the method comprising: sending a packet on a private virtual network from a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) associated with a first virtual machine (VM) in a first host, the first VNIC and a second VNIC being members of a fenced group that have exclusive direct access to the private virtual network, wherein the second VNIC is associated with a second VM, wherein VNICs outside the fenced group do not have direct access to packets on the private virtual network, and wherein the first VM is associated with a third VNIC, and the third VNIC is a member of a second fenced group; encapsulating the packet at the first host to include a new header and a fence identifier for the fenced group; receiving the packet at a second host where the second VM is executing; de-encapsulating the packet to extract the new header and the fence identifier; and delivering the de-encapsulated packet to the second VNIC after validating that a destination address in the packet and the fence identifier correspond to the second VNIC.