Method and apparatus for allowing proprietary forwarding elements to interoperate with standard control elements in an open architecture for network devices

A method for configuring a computer device, the method comprising:

• generating non-device-specific instructions by a control element that performs network signaling and control functions for configuring a forwarding element that performs network packet forwarding functions;
• transmitting the non-device-specific instructions from the control element to a forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, the forwarding element plugin to conceal from the control element a configuration interface of the forwarding element;
• translating the non-device-specific instructions into device-specific instructions specialized for the forwarding element;
• and
• transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element for configuring the forwarding element, wherein receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin by an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, and wherein receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element by said opaque forwarding element plugin.

An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, the instructions perform:

• concealing from a control element a configuration interface for a forwarding element by integrating a forwarding element plugin with the control element;
• receiving non-device-specific instructions, generated by the control element, for configuring the forwarding element;
• translating the non-device-specific instructions, by the forwarding element plugin, into device-specific instructions specialized for the forwarding element;
• and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element for configuring the forwarding element, wherein receiving the non-device-specific instructions from the control element and transmitting the non-device-specific instructions to the forwarding element plugin by an opaque forwarding element plugin integrated with the control element, and wherein receiving the translated, device-specific instructions from the forwarding element plugin and transmitting the device-specific instructions to the forwarding element by said opaque forwarding element plugin.