Patent ID: 9112811
Filing Date: 2015-08-18
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A network system for connecting a plurality of machines that logically connect through a logical switching element, the system comprising: a first network comprising a plurality of unmanaged switching elements, at least one of which connects to a first machine that communicates with other machines of the plurality of machines through the logical switching element; a second network comprising a plurality of managed switching elements that collectively implement the logical switching element and communicate with each other via tunnels provided by tunneling protocols, wherein a first managed switching element that implements the logical switching element connects to a second machine that communicates through the logical switching element, and a second managed switching element connects to a third machine that also communicates through the logical switching element; and a network extending managed switching element located at an edge of the first network for facilitating implementation of the logical switching element that logically connects the first, second, and third machines between the first network and the second network, wherein the network extending managed switching element adds logical context tags to packets sent by the first machine and received from the at least one unmanaged switching element before forwarding said packets to the second network and removes logical context tags from packets received from the second network before forwarding said packets to the at least one unmanaged switching element and the first machine.