System and method of extending virtual address resolution for mapping networks

A method of routing data over a network, said network comprising a first physical network and a second physical network, said first physical network having at least one electronic device supporting a virtual network, said second physical network having a plurality of electronic devices, said first physical network and said second physical network both being interfaced with a common electronic device, said virtual network having a lookup table to resolve a destination address into a real IP address of a component on said first physical network said method comprising:

• associating a range of real IP addresses on said second physical network with a single real IP address of a component on said common electronic device;
• storing said associations stored in said virtual lookup table;
• and
• routing data from an originating virtual IP address in said virtual network to a destination address on said second physical network, said routing step comprising:
• when said data is addressed to a destination address within said range of real IP addresses, resolving said destination address into the single real IP address of said component on said common electronic device;
• encapsulating said data and said destination address within a packet addressed to said single real IP address;
• sending said packet to said single real IP address;
• forwarding said data to said destination address;
• and
• sending said data to a default destination address upon failing to resolve said destination address into the single real IP address.

In a network, a non-transitory computer readable medium holding computer-executable steps for a method, said method comprising the steps of:

• associating a range of virtual IP addresses within a virtual network with a single real IP address, said single real IP address identifying a physical component in the network;
• the range of virtual IP addresses including consecutive virtual IP addresses;
• storing said association in a network-accessible location;
• routing data addressed to a destination referenced by one of said range of virtual IP addresses from an originating virtual IP address, said routing step comprising:
• when said data is addressed to a destination address within said range of virtual IP addresses, resolving the destination address into said single real IP address using said association;
• encapsulating said data and said destination address within a packet addressed to said single real IP address;
• sending said packet to said single real IP address;
• and
• sending said data to a default destination address upon failing to resolve said destination address into the single real IP address.

A method of routing data over a network, said network comprising a first physical network with at least one electronic device supporting a virtual network, said virtual network having access to a storage location holding associations used to resolve a destination address into a real IP address of a component on said first physical network, said first physical network being interfaced with a second physical network through an electronic device common to said first physical network and said second physical network, said second physical network having a plurality of electronic devices, each with a real IP address, said method comprising the steps of:

• associating a range of real IP addresses on said second physical network with a single real IP address of a component on said common electronic device;
• storing said association in said storage location;
• and
• routing data from an originating virtual IP address in said virtual network to a destination address on said second physical network, said routing step comprising:
• when said data is addressed to a destination address within said range of real IP addresses, resolving said destination address into the single real IP address of said component on said common electronic device using the association in said storage location;
• encapsulating said data and said destination address within a packet addressed to said single real IP address;
• sending said packet to the resolved single real IP address;
• and
• sending said data to a default destination address upon failing to resolve said destination address into the single real IP address.