Patent ID: 8601159

Claim:
A network device for enabling communication over a network comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor when the network device is operational, the memory comprising computer instructions that upon execution by the processor, cause the network device to: instantiate a virtual device that is indirectly connected to the network, the virtual device being instantiated on the network device; intercept a request for a MAC address, the request being made from the virtual device to a server that allocates MAC addresses for the virtual device, the request being intercepted by an agent executing within the network device and not being part of the virtual device; request the MAC address from the server, the request being made by the agent over the network by broadcasting said request for said MAC address and indicating a broadcast source address to which the server is to return an allocated MAC address; receive the allocated MAC address from the server, the allocated MAC address being received by the agent over the network; and provide the allocated MAC address server to the virtual device, the allocated MAC address being provided from the agent to the virtual device within the network device.