The Layer 1 infrastructure should be managed by software that is designed to meet the unique requirements of automated testing. The software is supplied by the Layer 1 switch manufacturer or a 3rd party that specializes in lab automation systems. An efficient software management system should include these features:
A graphical user interface for building test network topologies using the Layer 1 infrastructure
A reservation system to maximize resource usage while avoiding scheduling conflicts
A mechanism to authenticate users and apply access controls to test lab resources
An API to enable custom extensions and integration with existing tools