Patent ID: 7062719

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for graphically defining a route through a virtual switch devices, the method comprising: displaying a graphical user interface for defining the route through a virtual switch device, wherein the virtual switch device comprises a first physical switch device and a second physical switch device; receiving user input to the graphical user interface specifying a first endpoint of the route, wherein the first endpoint comprises a channel of the first physical switch device; displaying a first icon representing the first physical switch device in response to the user input specifying the first endpoint; receiving user input to the graphical user interface specifying a second endpoint of the route, wherein the second endpoint comprises a channel of the second physical switch device; and displaying a second icon representing the second physical switch device in response to the user input specifying the second endpoint; wherein the first icon and the second icon visually indicate that the route passes from the first channel of the first physical switch device to the second channel of the second physical switch device.