Patent ID: 9031081
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: with a local manager operating in a network: identifying a first switching function provided by a first switching element in the network; identifying a second switching function provided by a second switching element in the network, the first switching element different than the second switching element; identifying a third switching function provided by a third switching element in the network; identifying a fourth switching function provided by a fourth switching element in the network, the fourth switching element different than the first, second and third switching elements; providing, via a first logical switch, the first switching function; providing, via the first logical switch, the second switching function; providing, via a second logical switch, the third switching function, and providing, via the second logical switch, the fourth switching function; presenting, to a first requester, the first logical switch as a unified entity that includes both the first switching function of the first switching element and the second switching function of the second switching element; presenting, to a second requester, the second logical switch as a unified entity that includes both the third switching function of the third switching element and the fourth switching function of the fourth element; and controlling interaction between the first and second logical switches such that the first and second logic switches interact as two separate physical switches.