Patent ID: 8705722

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, by a network device, configuration information relating to forwarding of communications in a network that includes a plurality of endpoint devices; receiving, by the network device, presence information for the plurality of endpoint devices, the presence information including proximity information indicating whether pairs of the plurality of endpoint devices are in physical proximity to one another, where the proximity information indicates that a first endpoint device, of the plurality of endpoint devices, and a second endpoint device, of the plurality of endpoint devices, are in physical proximity, and where the configuration information indicates that a communication, intended for the first endpoint device, is to be forwarded to the second endpoint device in response to the indication, in the proximity information, that the first endpoint device and the second endpoint device are in physical proximity; and causing, by the network device and based on the configuration information and the presence information, communications, intended for a first endpoint device, to be forwarded to a second endpoint device.