Patent ID: 7979589

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a top port multiplier of a plurality of port multipliers configured to couple a network host with other port multipliers of the plurality of port multipliers, wherein the top port multiplier includes an enhanced port multiplier to establish and maintain communication with each of the other port multipliers to facilitate communication, in multiple cascading levels, between the network host, other port multipliers, and a plurality of network devices, the other port multipliers having one or more intermediate port multipliers and one or more bottom port multipliers, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers include one or more enhanced intermediate port multipliers to facilitate additional one or more cascading levels, wherein the one or more intermediate port multipliers and the one or more bottom port multipliers include one or more third-party port multipliers to facilitate communication between the network host and one or more third-party network devices, wherein each of the plurality of port multipliers serves as a node having a route map register to facilitate communication with other port multipliers of the plurality of port multipliers and the one or more third-party port multipliers, wherein the top port multiplier serves as a parent node, wherein each of the one or more bottom port multipliers serves as a child node, and wherein each of the one or more intermediate port multipliers serves a child/parent node; and the plurality of network devices including the one or more third-party network devices.