Abstract: A system and method for network topology management includes a network controller having a control unit one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to a plurality of switches in a network, and a memory coupled to the control unit and configured to store a topology of the switches. The topology includes a plurality of switch groups. The network controller is configured to assign a topology management module to each of the switch groups, receive a message from a switch indicating a topology change, determine when the topology change is a network link failure between switches within a first switch group that the network link failure is internal to the first switch group, and handle the network link failure when the network link failure is internal to the first switch group using the topology management module assigned to the first switch group.

Abstract: A system and method for base topology selection includes a network controller including a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more network switching devices of a network. The network controller is configured to receive initiation messages from the network switching devices, receive configuration and status messages from the network switching devices, transmit discovery requests to the network switching devices, receive discovery responses from the network switching devices, determine a network topology of the network based on information associated with the initiation messages, the configuration and status messages, and the discovery responses, apply heuristic rules to the network topology, and select a base topology based on results of the applied heuristic rules.

Abstract: A control unit that is configured to instruct a device to implement a limitation on a port and broadcast a controller address. The control unit is further configured to receive first identification information associated with a second device connected to the port from the device, the first identification information being addressed to the controller address. Additionally, the control unit is configured to establish a communication link with the second device through the device and the port, receive second identification information associated with the second device over the communication link, determine whether the second device is authorized based on a policy, determine whether the first identification information and second identification information match, and instruct the first device to remove the limitation on the port in response to determining that the second device is authorized and that the first identification information matches the second identification information.

Abstract: A system and method for base topology selection includes a network controller including a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more network switching devices of a network. The network controller is configured to receive initiation messages from the network switching devices, receive configuration and status messages from the network switching devices, transmit discovery requests to the network switching devices, receive discovery responses from the network switching devices, determine a network topology of the network based on information associated with the initiation messages, the configuration and status messages, and the discovery responses, apply heuristic rules to the network topology, and select a base topology based on results of the applied heuristic rules.

Abstract: A system and method for base topology selection includes a network controller including a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more network switching devices of a network. The network controller is configured to receive initiation messages from the network switching devices, receive configuration and status messages from the network switching devices, transmit discovery requests to the network switching devices, receive discovery responses from the network switching devices, determine a network topology of the network based on information associated with the initiation messages, the configuration and status messages, and the discovery responses, apply heuristic rules to the network topology, and select a base topology based on results of the applied heuristic rules.

Abstract: A control unit that is configured to instruct a device to implement a limitation on a port and broadcast a controller address. The control unit is further configured to receive first identification information associated with a second device connected to the port from the device, the first identification information being addressed to the controller address. Additionally, the control unit is configured to establish a communication link with the second device through the device and the port, receive second identification information associated with the second device over the communication link, determine whether the second device is authorized based on a policy, determine whether the first identification information and second identification information match, and instruct the first device to remove the limitation on the port in response to determining that the second device is authorized and that the first identification information matches the second identification information.

Abstract: A system and method for network topology management includes a network controller having a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more switches of a network. The network controller is configured to divide a physical topology of the network into a plurality of switch subgroups, determine one or more abstracted switch groups for each switch subgroup, select a base topology for each abstracted switch group, configure the each abstracted switch group with a corresponding first forwarding strategy consistent with each selected base topology, determine an abstracted topology for the network based on the physical topology and the each abstracted switch group, and configure the abstracted topology with a second forwarding strategy consistent with the abstracted topology. In some embodiments, the network controller is further configured to monitor the network to determine when a topology change occurs.

Abstract: A system and method for network topology management includes a network controller having a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more switches of a network. The network controller is configured to divide a physical topology of the network into a plurality of switch subgroups, determine one or more abstracted switch groups for each switch subgroup, select a base topology for each abstracted switch group, configure the each abstracted switch group with a corresponding first forwarding strategy consistent with each selected base topology, determine an abstracted topology for the network based on the physical topology and the each abstracted switch group, and configure the abstracted topology with a second forwarding strategy consistent with the abstracted topology. In some embodiments, the network controller is further configured to monitor the network to determine when a topology change occurs.

Abstract: A system and method for network topology management includes a network controller having a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more switches of a network. The network controller is configured to divide a physical topology of the network into a plurality of switch subgroups, determine one or more abstracted switch groups for each switch subgroup, select a base topology for each abstracted switch group, configure the each abstracted switch group with a corresponding first forwarding strategy consistent with each selected base topology, determine an abstracted topology for the network based on the physical topology and the each abstracted switch group, and configure the abstracted topology with a second forwarding strategy consistent with the abstracted topology. In some embodiments, the network controller is further configured to monitor the network to determine when a topology change occurs.

Abstract: A system and method for base topology selection includes a network controller including a control unit and one or more ports coupled to the control unit and configured to couple the network controller to one or more network switching devices of a network. The network controller is configured to receive initiation messages from the network switching devices, receive configuration and status messages from the network switching devices, transmit discovery requests to the network switching devices, receive discovery responses from the network switching devices, determine a network topology of the network based on information associated with the initiation messages, the configuration and status messages, and the discovery responses, apply heuristic rules to the network topology, and select a base topology based on results of the applied heuristic rules.