Patent ID: 8582462

Claim:
A program product, comprising: a computer-readable storage device; and program code stored within the computer-readable storage device that, when executed by a computer having a physical network interface, causes the computer to perform: a virtual machine monitor (VMM) that executes within the computer instantiating a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) in the computer; a virtual link manager (VLM) that executes within or on the VMM deploying and configuring a plurality of Layer 2 virtual links sharing bandwidth of a Layer 2 physical link between the physical network interface and an access switch; the VMM uniquely defining each of the plurality of virtual links by applying a respective one of a plurality of different service tags to frames of the plurality of virtual links, wherein the plurality of Layer 2 virtual links span at least from the VMM to the access switch such that the physical network interface need not provide explicit tagging support for the plurality of Layer 2 virtual links; and the VMM communicating parameters of the plurality of virtual links with the access switch.