Patent Document ID: 9231848
Application ID: 14083072
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of generating a virtual interface for a physical data network layer, said method comprising: using a first network device, communicating with a second network device within a same physical data network layer to learn a network routing topology associated with said physical data network layer, wherein said physical data network layer reaches a logical convergence state; exchanging a set of learned MAC addresses between said first and second network devices; populating a forwarding table using said set of learned MAC addresses, wherein said set of learned MAC addresses comprises an external MAC address associated with a different physical data network layer; communicating a request for an IP address using said external MAC address; and generating a virtual interface for said physical data network layer, wherein said first network device is operable to use said virtual interface for communicating data to said different physical data network layer, wherein said communicating a request further comprises converting said request to a format recognizable to an external device operable to process said request, wherein said external device belongs to said different physical data network layer.