Logical switches

Abstract

The deployment and scaling of a network of electronic devices can be improved by utilizing one or more network transpose boxes. Each transpose box can include a number of connectors and a meshing useful for implementing a specific network topology. Different tiers of a network can be connected to one or more of the network transpose boxes, and operated as a logical switch. A control server can be used to manage the control plane operations of the logical switch.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for scaling a data transmission network, comprising:
 determining that the data transmission network has reached a predetermined capacity threshold;   determining a topology for at least a portion of the data transmission network, the data transmission network having an existing transpose box, a first tier of network switches, and a second tier of network switches;   selecting at least one additional transpose box for inclusion in the data transmission network, the at least one additional transpose box having a first group of network connectors and a second group of network connectors within the at least one additional transpose box, each of the first group of network connectors being connected by a single cable to each of the second group of network connectors within the first network transpose box such that the first group of network connectors and the second group of network connectors are fully connected; and   connecting the at least one additional transpose box to the portion of the data transmission network in accordance with the topology, such that there is at least one data transmission path between the existing transpose box and the at least one additional transpose box, and such that a data transmission path between any of the network switches in the first tier and any of the network switches in the second tier is provided by a single connection.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 adding a third tier of network switches, each network switch in the third tier capable of receiving and transmitting data from at least one of the second tier of network switches.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 configuring a control server to operate the first tier of network switches and the second tier of network switches.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least one switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches includes a device characteristic that is different from a device characteristic of a different switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the device characteristic is a manufacturer, operating system, form factor, a device model, device model version, chipset model, CPU model, or operating system version. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 adding a third transpose box comprising a third group of network connectors and a fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the third group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the fourth group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the third group of network connectors,   wherein each of a subset of network switches of the second tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the third group of network connectors and each of a subset of network switches of the third tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the fourth group of network connectors,   wherein a meshing of communication media connecting the third group of network connectors and fourth group of network connectors implements a network topology wherein multiple switches of the second tier of network switches are each connected to multiple switches of third tier of network switches via the transpose box, and   wherein the subset of the third tier of network switches operate with the subset of the first tier of network switches and the subset of the second tier of network switches as a logical switch.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein each of a subset of network switches of the second tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the third group of network connectors using a single network cable and each of a subset of network switches of the third tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the fourth group of network connectors using a single network cable. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the second tier of network switches is capable of converting a data transmission from a first transmission standard to a second transmission standard. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein each network switch includes a separate CPU and a separate power supply. 
     
     
         11 . A computing system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory having stored therein a set of instructions, which when performed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to:
 determine that the data transmission network has reached a predetermined capacity threshold; 
 determine a topology for at least a portion of the data transmission network, the data transmission network having an existing transpose box, a first tier of network switches, and a second tier of network switches; and 
 select at least one additional transpose box for inclusion in the data transmission network, the at least one additional transpose box having a first group of network connectors and a second group of network connectors within the at least one additional transpose box, each of the first group of network connectors being connected by a single cable to each of the second group of network connectors within the first network transpose box such that the first group of network connectors and the second group of network connectors are fully connected, 
   wherein the at least one additional transpose box is connected to the portion of the data transmission network in accordance with the topology, such that there is at least one data transmission path between the existing transpose box and the at least one additional transpose box, and such that a data transmission path between any of the network switches in the first tier and any of the network switches in the second tier is provided by a single connection.   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein performing the instructions further causes the computer system to:
 accept a third tier of network switches for inclusion in the data transmission network, each network switch in the third tier capable of receiving and transmitting data from at least one of the second tier of network switches.   
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein performing the instructions further causes the computer system to:
 accept a third transpose box comprising a third group of network connectors and a fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the third group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the fourth group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the third group of network connectors,   wherein each of a subset of network switches of the second tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the third group of network connectors and each of a subset of network switches of the third tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the fourth group of network connectors,   wherein a meshing of communication media connecting the third group of network connectors and fourth group of network connectors implements a network topology wherein multiple switches of the second tier of network switches are each connected to multiple switches of third tier of network switches via the transpose box, and   wherein the subset of the third tier of network switches operate with the subset of the first tier of network switches and the subset of the second tier of network switches as a logical switch.   
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches includes a device characteristic that is different from a device characteristic of a different switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches. 
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the device characteristic is a manufacturer, operating system, form factor, a device model, device model version, chipset model, CPU model, or operating system version. 
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the second tier of network switches is capable of converting a data transmission from a first transmission standard to a second transmission standard. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computing device-readable medium comprising computing device-executable instructions, wherein the instructions, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
 determine that the data transmission network has reached a predetermined capacity threshold;   determine a topology for at least a portion of the data transmission network, the data transmission network having an existing transpose box, a first tier of network switches, and a second tier of network switches; and   select at least one additional transpose box for inclusion in the data transmission network, the at least one additional transpose box having a first group of network connectors and a second group of network connectors within the at least one additional transpose box, each of the first group of network connectors being connected by a single cable to each of the second group of network connectors within the first network transpose box such that the first group of network connectors and the second group of network connectors are fully connected,   wherein the at least one additional transpose box is connected to the portion of the data transmission network in accordance with the topology, such that there is at least one data transmission path between the existing transpose box and the at least one additional transpose box, and such that a data transmission path between any of the network switches in the first tier and any of the network switches in the second tier is provided by a single connection.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computing device-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising the instructions, in response to execution by a computing device, causing the computing device to:
 configure a control server to operate the first tier of network switches and the second tier of network switches.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computing device-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising the instructions, in response to execution by a computing device, causing the computing device to:
 accept a third tier of network switches, each network switch in the third tier capable of receiving and transmitting data from at least one of the second tier of network switches.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computing device-readable medium of  claim 17 , further comprising the instructions, in response to execution by a computing device, causing the computing device to:
 accept a third transpose box comprising a third group of network connectors and a fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the third group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the fourth group of network connectors, at least a portion of the fourth group of network connectors each being connected to two or more of the third group of network connectors,   wherein each of a subset of network switches of the second tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the third group of network connectors and each of a subset of network switches of the third tier of network switches is connected to at least one of the fourth group of network connectors,   wherein a meshing of communication media connecting the third group of network connectors and fourth group of network connectors implements a network topology wherein multiple switches of the second tier of network switches are each connected to multiple switches of third tier of network switches via the transpose box, and   wherein the subset of the third tier of network switches operate with the subset of the first tier of network switches and the subset of the second tier of network switches as a logical switch.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computing device-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein at least one switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches includes a device characteristic that is different from a device characteristic of a different switch in either the first tier of network switches or the second tier of network switches, the device characteristic being a manufacturer, operating system, form factor, a device model, device model version, chipset model, CPU model, or operating system version.