Patent ID: 7281039

Claim:
A network comprising: a set or one or more networks; a set of one or more end stations communicating layer 2 packets with the set of networks, and a single network device coupled between the set of networks and the set of end stations, the single network device having, a first virtual bridge switching certain of said layer 2 packets for a first set of subscribers in accordance with a first network database of a first virtual network, the first database having addressing and policy information of the first virtual network, wherein the first virtual network comprises a first virtual circuit that couples the first virtual bridge to the first virtual network and the first virtual bridge runs protocols that authenticate the first set of subscribers, authorizes access to selected ones of the set of end stations for the first set of subscribers, and records the network activity on the first virtual bridge by the first set of subscribers; and a second virtual bridge, which is isolated from the first virtual bridge, switching certain layer 2 packets for a second set of subscribers in accordance with a second network database, the second network database having addressing and policy information for a second virtual network, wherein the second virtual network comprises a second virtual circuit that couples the second virtual bridge to the second virtual network and the second virtual bridge runs protocols that authenticate the second set of subscribers, authorizes access to other selected ones of the set of end stations for the second set of subscribers, and records the network activity on the second virtual bridge by the second set of subscribers, and wherein the second network database is separate from the first network database.