US 12,756,634 B2Granted

Facilitating integration of physical network elements within virtual network simulations

AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.

InventorJustin G. Guagliata

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Abstract

Provided herein are techniques that may facilitate integration of physical devices with virtual network simulations. In one example, a method is provided that may include obtaining, by a network simulation controller, user inputs for configuring a bridge device interconnected with the network simulation controller for each of: a serial hardware interface element that provides serial interconnectivity with one or more physical network devices; an ethernet hardware interface element that provides ethernet connectivity with the one or more physical network devices; and a power distribution element that is to provide electrical power for the one or more physical network devices; and facilitating operation of at least one physical network device of the one or more physical network devices within a virtual network simulation.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network simulation system, comprising:

a network simulation controller;
a user interface provided by the network simulation controller;
and
a bridge device comprising:
a serial hardware interface element that provides serial interconnectivity with one or more physical network devices;
a first ethernet hardware interface element that provides ethernet connectivity with the one or more physical network devices;
a second ethernet hardware interface element that provides ethernet connectivity with the network simulation controller;
and
a power distribution element that is to provide electrical power to the one or more physical network devices,
wherein the network simulation controller operates to facilitate configuration of configure the bridge device for operation of the one or more physical network devices within at least one network simulation;
and
upon obtaining one or more user inputs via the user interface for including at least one physical network device of the one or more physical network devices in a virtual network simulation, triggering, by the network simulation controller, via the power distribution element of the bridge device, the at least one physical network device to power on for operation in the virtual network simulation.

9 more elements

A method comprising:

obtaining, by a network simulation controller, user inputs for configuring a bridge device interconnected with the network simulation controller for each of:
a serial hardware interface element that provides serial interconnectivity with one or more physical network devices;
an ethernet hardware interface element that provides ethernet connectivity with the one or more physical network devices;
and
a power distribution element that is to provide electrical power for the one or more physical network devices;
and
operating at least one physical network device of the one or more physical network devices within a virtual network simulation, wherein operating includes:
providing a trigger to the bridge device by the network simulation controller to power on the at least one physical network device of the one or more physical network devices;
and
based on the trigger, providing electrical power to the at least one physical network device of the one or more physical network devices by the bridge device via the power distribution element for operating the at least one physical network device within the virtual network simulation.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.