Patent ID: 8880657

Claim:
A method of deploying a set of virtual servers on one or more hardware nodes, the method comprising: receiving a configuration for a set of virtual servers from a particular entity; identifying a grid identity assigned to the particular entity; specifying a private virtual local area network (VLAN) identity assigned to the particular entity by (i) determining whether a private VLAN identity has been assigned to the particular entity, and (ii) assigning a new private VLAN identity when a private VLAN identity has not been assigned to the particular entity; specifying a public VLAN identity assigned to the particular entity by (i) determining whether a public VLAN identity has been assigned to the particular entity, and (ii) assigning a new public VLAN identity when a public VLAN identity has not been assigned to the particular entity; and deploying the set of virtual servers on one or more of the hardware nodes, wherein a separate broadcast domain is defined for the particular entity's set of virtual servers using the grid identity and the private VLAN identity, and wherein a public network, which provides public Internet access to one or more of the set of virtual servers, is defined for the set of virtual servers using the grid identity and the public VLAN identity, wherein the public and private VLAN identities are defined by a VLAN protocol that limits the number of available VLANs for different entities, wherein the grid identity is used to extend the number of available VLANs, wherein the VLAN protocol is a first protocol, the method further comprising utilizing a second different protocol to extend the number of available VLANs beyond the limitations of the first protocol.