Network TCP tunnels are dynamically configured to support intra-application connectivity of a distributed application. Tunnel origins listen on each server's loopback address. This listening configuration permits only applications running on the same server to connect. A tunnel gateway application interfaces with the distributed application on each server and includes a tunnel endpoint manager configured to select one or more TCP ports. These selected ports are each associated with a separate TCP listeners. Once associated, data from the instance of the distributed application resident on each of the plurality of servers in the server cluster is routed through these TCP connections and a UDP datagram-orientated communication channel formed between each peer in the server cluster. Each instance of the distributed application can thereafter access peers in the server cluster through each unique UDP datagram-orientated communication channel.