Activity-based virtual machine availability in a networked computing environment

An approach for activity-based virtual machine (VM) availability in a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing environment) is provided. In a typical embodiment, a system provided under the present approach monitors and logs network traffic and performs network packet inspections. Based on the contents of the network packets, the system may determine which applications/processes on particular VMs that are associated with the traffic. Users of this system may configure rules and thresholds. Regardless, if an availability threshold is not met as compared to a volume of network traffic, certain network traffic disablement actions can be taken. Users may also configure those conditions that will result in re-enablement of the network and/or processes that were disabled.