Microsoft Corporation
Virtual switch bypass

Abstract:

A method of communicating data traffic including data packets through a virtual switch on a host device is provided. The data traffic flowing through the virtual switch is monitored. The data traffic includes at least virtual machine data traffic flowing to and from virtual machine processes on the host device and host data traffic flowing to and from host operating system processes on the host device. Each of the data packets are designated as virtual machine data traffic or host data traffic based on an evaluation of the Media Access Controller (MAC) address of each of the one or more data packets of the monitored data traffic. Virtual machine data traffic is directed through a packet processor as the virtual machine data traffic traverses the virtual switch. Host data traffic is directed to bypass the packet processor as the host data traffic traverses the virtual switch.