Patent ID: 8432787

Claim:
A method for using a dynamic binding protocol to discover a first CE in a network of devices including at least a first forwarding element (FE), a first control element (CE) and a first network element (NE), the first control element (CE) for controlling a first FE set, the first CE providing one first protocol process among a plurality of protocols on behalf of each FE in the first FE set, the first CE being physically remote from the FEs in the first FE set, the first CE being dynamically bound to each FE in the first FE set such that multiple bindings may be performed, the method comprising: performing, by one of the FEs of the first FE set, a dynamic binding protocol for dynamically binding the FE to one of the CEs, wherein the dynamic binding protocol comprises a discovery protocol enabling the FE to discover one or more of the CEs which can manage the FE such that multiple bindings may be performed; and configuring the FE to use the dynamic binding protocol to request discovery of the first CE, wherein said first CE is configured to respond to the respective requests for discovery of the first CE by the FE in the first FE set, wherein respective responses by the first CE to discovery of the first CE by the FE in the first FE set are configured for use by the FEs in the first FE set to dynamically bind with the first CE, wherein the first CE and the FEs in the first FE set form a first network element (NE).