US Patent 9288081 Connecting unmanaged segmented networks by managing interconnection switching elements

Some embodiments provide a novel network control system for interconnecting several separate networks. The system includes a set of interconnection switching elements. Each interconnection switching element in the set is for connecting one of the separate networks to a common interconnecting network. The system includes a set of network controllers for managing the interconnection switching elements in order for the interconnection switching elements to send packets from a first machine at a first one of the networks to a second machine at a second one of the networks.