Abstract: Techniques and a network appliance apparatus are provided herein to extend local area networks (LANs) and storage area networks (SANs) beyond a data center while converging the associated local area network and storage area network host layers. A service flow is received at a device in a network. It is determined if the service flow is associated with storage area network or with local area network traffic. In response to determining that the service flow is storage area network traffic, storage area network extension services are performed with respect to the service flow in order to extend the storage area network on behalf of a remote location. In response to determining that the service flow is local area network traffic, local area network extension services are performed with respect to the service flow in order to extend the local area network on behalf of the remote location.

Abstract: Techniques and a network appliance apparatus are provided herein to extend local area networks (LANs) and storage area networks (SANs) beyond a data center while converging the associated local area network and storage area network host layers. A service flow is received at a device in a network. It is determined if the service flow is associated with storage area network or with local area network traffic. In response to determining that the service flow is storage area network traffic, storage area network extension services are performed with respect to the service flow in order to extend the storage area network on behalf of a remote location. In response to determining that the service flow is local area network traffic, local area network extension services are performed with respect to the service flow in order to extend the local area network on behalf of the remote location.

Abstract: In a virtual infrastructure, a single appliance is provided that hosts a centralized virtual machine monitor (VMM) control plane to effectively establish a single virtual switch across all virtual machines within one or more clusters of servers, thereby reducing the number of management points for the network administrator and facilitating easier VM migration.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP) telephone operates a communications uplink to a switch based on activity on a separate communications downlink (such as to a personal computer) to conserve power when possible. The IP telephone monitors the communications activity of a link partner on the communications downlink, and when the link partner is present and operating at a relatively high data rate, the IP telephone operates the communications uplink at a correspondingly high data rate to support the communications needs of the IP telephone and the link partner. If the monitoring indicates that the link partner has reduced communications activity (which may include becoming entirely disconnected from the communications downlink), the IP telephone transitions to a second operating condition to operate the communications uplink at a relatively low data rate, with a corresponding decrease in the power required for operation of the communications uplink interface circuitry.

Abstract: In a virtual infrastructure, a single appliance is provided that hosts a centralized virtual machine monitor (VMM) control plane to effectively establish a single virtual switch across all virtual machines within one or more clusters of servers, thereby reducing the number of management points for the network administrator and facilitating easier VM migration.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP) telephone operates a communications uplink to a switch based on activity on a separate communications downlink (such as to a personal computer) to conserve power when possible. The IP telephone monitors the communications activity of a link partner on the communications downlink, and when the link partner is present and operating at a relatively high data rate, the IP telephone operates the communications uplink at a correspondingly high data rate to support the communications needs of the IP telephone and the link partner. If the monitoring indicates that the link partner has reduced communications activity (which may include becoming entirely disconnected from the communications downlink), the IP telephone transitions to a second operating condition to operate the communications uplink at a relatively low data rate, with a corresponding decrease in the power required for operation of the communications uplink interface circuitry.