Patent ID: 8156207

Claim:
A method for remotely configuring network devices on a physical network having at least one user device and a network device manager, said method comprising: issuing a first configuration request from said at least one user device to said network device manager on the physical network to configure a select user defined virtual network device in a virtual network, wherein said first configuration request is in a first language understandable by said network device manager; determining a select physical network device located remotely from said network device manager on the physical network corresponding to said select user defined virtual network device; translating said first configuration request to a second configuration request using a plug-in stored in said network device manager specific to said select physical network device, wherein said second configuration request is in a second language operatively understandable by said select physical network device; issuing said second configuration request from said select network device manager to said select physical network device on the physical network for configuring said select physical network device; determining whether said select physical network device has been successfully configured in accordance with said second configuration request; storing said first configuration request in a database in said network device manager if said select physical network device has been successfully configured in accordance with said second configuration request; retrieving said first configuration request stored in said database when a replacement-physical network device for said select physical network device requires configuration in accordance with said second configuration request; translating said first configuration request to said second configuration request; and issuing said second configuration request from said select network device manager to said replacement-physical network device for configuring said replacement-physical network device.