System and Method to Configure, Manage, and Monitor Stacking of Ethernet Devices in a Software Defined Network

A method for managing a network, the method comprising:

• configuring a hardware switching management controller to instantiate an OpenFlow switching manager;
• setting, by the OpenFlow switching manager, a first configuration setting of a first stackable network switch, the first configuration setting to enable the first stackable network switch to operate in a switch stack, wherein the first configuration setting is accessible via an OpenFlow protocol;
• and
• setting, by the OpenFlow switching manager, a second configuration setting of a second stackable network switch, the second configuration setting to enable the second stackable network switch to operate in the switch stack, wherein the second configuration setting is accessible via the OpenFlow protocol.

An information handling system for managing a network, the information handling system comprising:

• a stackable network switch including a first configuration setting to enable the first stackable network switch to operate in a switch stack and a second configuration setting to configure a port of the stackable network switch, wherein the first configuration setting is accessible via an OpenFlow protocol and wherein the second configuration setting is accessible via an OpenFlow Management and Configuration (OF-Config) protocol;
• a hardware switching management controller including an OpenFlow stacking manager configured to set the first configuration setting such that the switch stack includes the stackable network switch;
• and
• a hardware switch management controller including an OF-Config manager configured to set the second configuration setting.