Connecting a cloud network to the internet

Abstract

Briefly, methods and/or apparatuses of connecting a private network to the Internet are described.

1 - 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . A method comprising: managing without human intervention at least one private network;
 wherein the at least one private network comprises two or more separate logical broadcast domains in which the at least one private network is able to communicate selected signal packets from one network device in one of the two or more separate logical broadcast domains transmitted to one network device in another of the two or more separate logical broadcast domains via at least one tunnel server such that the at least one private network is able to communicate the selected signal packets from the one network device in one of the two or more separate logical broadcast domains transmitted to the one network device in another of the two or more separate logical domains as if the logical broadcast domains are not logically separate, and while by-passing use of a routing table with respect to the selected signal packets;   wherein the selected signal packets between the network device of the one of the two more logical broadcast domains and the network device of the another of the two or more logical broadcast domains are transmitted via the at least one tunnel server; and   wherein the managing the at least one private network comprises managing signal packet communications between the network devices of the two or more logical broadcast domains.   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the one network device of the another of the two more logical broadcast domains comprises a stand-alone network device remote with respect to at least the one logical broadcast domain. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , and further comprising a controller, wherein the controller provisions at least another tunnel server at least for a period of time, wherein the managing the stand-alone network device comprises managing paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the stand-alone network device via the tunnel servers. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the stand-alone network device via the tunnel servers are managed based at least in part on one or more of the following: cost, capability, efficiency, compatibility, resources, proximity, security, load balancing, fault tolerance, redundancy or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , and further comprising multiple additional stand-alone network devices, wherein at least some of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices are included in the at least one private network and wherein remaining networks devices of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices are included in private networks other than the at least one private network; wherein the at least some of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices are managed along with the stand-alone network device as part of the at least one private network and wherein the remaining network devices are managed as part of the private networks other than the at least one private network. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , further comprising:
 managing the multiple additional stand-alone network devices includes managing the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the multiple additional stand-alone network devices via the at least one tunnel server.   
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the managing the multiple additional stand-alone network devices includes managing the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the multiple additional stand-alone network devices via the tunnel servers. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the multiple additional stand-alone network devices via the tunnel servers are managed based at least in part on one or more of the following: cost, capability, efficiency, compatibility, resources, proximity, security, load balancing, fault tolerance, redundancy or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , wherein the managing the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the multiple additional stand-alone network devices via the tunnel servers includes employing more than one tunnel server for signal packet communications between any of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices and the one network device in the another of the two or more separate logical domains based at least in part on one or more of the following: cost, capability, efficiency, compatibility, resources, proximity, security, load balancing, fault tolerance, redundancy or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the employing more than one tunnel server for signal packet communications between the any of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices and the one network device in the another of the two or more separate logical domains includes concurrently employing more than one tunnel server for signal packet communications between the any of the multiple additional stand-alone network devices and the one network device in the another of the two or more separate logical domains based at least in part on one or more of the following: cost, capability, efficiency, compatibility, resources, proximity, security, load balancing, fault tolerance, redundancy or any combinations thereof. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein each of the stand-alone network devices comprises a separate logical broadcast domain. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of the private networks other than the at least one private network is managed without human intervention. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein at least one of the private networks other than the at least one private network is managed by a different controller. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the stand-alone network device comprises a separate logical broadcast domain, and wherein the managing the at least one private network comprises managing the stand-alone network device and the one network device in the another of the two or more separate logical domains. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the another of the two or more separate logical domains comprises another network device; and wherein the managing the at least one private network further includes also managing the another network device. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 74 , further comprising:
 provisioning the at least one tunnel server to communicate between the two or more logical broadcast domains.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the provisioning of the tunnel server occurs based at least in part on one or more signals from a controller. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 90 , and further comprising one or more stand-alone remote network devices, wherein the managing the at least one private network includes managing the one or more stand-alone remote network devices, and wherein the managing the one or more stand-alone remote network devices includes managing signal packet communications to and/or from the one or more stand-alone remote network devices. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising:
 managing paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the one or more stand-alone remote network devices via the tunnel servers, and wherein the managing the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the one or more stand-alone remote network devices via the tunnel servers comprises managing the paths of signal packet communications to and/or from the one or more stand-alone remote network devices via the tunnel servers based at least in part on one or more of the following: cost, capability, efficiency, compatibility, resources, proximity, security, load balancing, fault tolerance, redundancy or any combinations thereof.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 74 , and further comprising multiple additional stand-alone remote network devices, wherein at least some of the multiple additional stand-alone remote network devices are included in the at least one private network and wherein remaining network devices of the multiple additional stand-alone remote network devices are included in private networks other than the at least one private network; wherein the managing the at least one private network includes managing the at least some of the multiple additional stand-alone remote network devices along with the two or more separate logical broadcast domains as part of the at least one private network.