Remote procedure call for a distributed system

A method of managing a distributed system, comprising:

• providing a master switch including a microprocessor, a memory storing an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) client and a virtual slot table having a plurality of virtual slots;
• determining, by a master switch, a number of entities in the distributed system to be managed through the master switch, the number of entities including:
• a plurality of first-tier switches in direct communication with the master switch, such that each first-tier switch does not communicate through any intervening entities when communicating with the master switch;
• and one or more second-tier switches in indirect communication with the master switch through one of the first-tier switches, the one or more second-tier switches being directly connected to the one of the first-tier switches;
• wherein the master switch provides a single access point through which an administrator can submit commands to manage all of the first and second tier switches;
• assigning, by the master switch, a virtual slot for each first-tier switch and for each second-tier switch in the distributed system, each virtual slot identifying one of the first-tier switches as a destination entity for requests sent to that virtual slot;
• receiving, by the master switch, a request from a management station to submit a command to manage a given one of the entities in the distributed system;
• determining, by the master switch, one of the virtual slots associated with the request received from the management station;
• and
• running, by the microprocessor of the master switch, the RPC (remote procedure call) client to submit an RPC request to the first-tier switch identified by one of the virtual slots.