Patent ID: 7697419

Claim:
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions to function in a specified manner, said computer instructions comprising: instructions to configure a first switch of a set of switches as a first master switch; wherein said instructions to configure said first switch include: instructions to display an user-interface indicating a plurality of switch states associated with said first switch, said plurality of switch states including a master switch state associated with said first switch and a slave state associated with said first switch; and instructions to receive, via said user-interface, a user-specified selection of said master switch state associated with said first switch to configure said first switch as said first master switch; instructions to identify a first plurality of switches of said set of switches that are connected to said first master switch, said first plurality of switches including a second switch and a third switch, instructions to modify a first operational parameter associated with said third switch using said first master switch, such that said third switch performs switching operations in accordance with said modified first operational parameter; instructions to configure, using said first master switch, said second switch being configured as a second master switch while said first switch remains configured as said first master switch, wherein said instructions to configure said second switch include: instructions to identify said second switch as being in a slave switch state associated with said second switch; and instructions to configure, using said first master switch, said slave switch state associated with said second switch to a master switch state associated with said second switch; instructions to identify a second plurality of switches of said set of switches that are connected to said second master switch, said second plurality of switches including said first switch and said third switch; and instructions to modify a second operational parameter associated with said third switch using said second master switch, such that the third switch performs switching operations in accordance with said modified second operational parameter.