Patent · US Active

Virtual MAC address system and method

US7730210B2 · kind B2 · utility

20Cited by
124References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2008
Grant dateJun 1, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 10, 2028

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2101/622
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for creating a virtual MAC address, the method includes receiving an Internet Protocol address that is to be associated with a virtual MAC address. The method creates a virtual MAC address by setting an OUI portion of the virtual MAC address to an OUI value and setting the non-OUI portion of the virtual MAC address to a subset of the Internet Protocol (IP) address. In one embodiment, the lower three bytes of the IP address are used. Additionally, a method of migrating a virtual MAC address includes detecting a migration event on a first system; creating a virtual MAC address on a second system; and issuing a gratuitous ARP packet containing the virtual MAC address.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.