APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SETTING SWITCHES COUPLED IN A NETWORK DOMAIN

An apparatus sets switches each belonging to a domain including two or more switches. A switch receives, from another switch, information including a domain identifier, a first switch identifier identifying another switch, and a first port identifier identifying a port via which the information is transmitted from another switch. The switch transmits, to the apparatus, connection data including the information and a second port identifier identifying a port via which the information is received by the switch. Upon receiving the connection data from the switch, the apparatus allocates a second switch identifier identifying the switch, transmits, to the switch, first setting data for setting the second switch identifier and setting a port identified by the second port identifier as an in-domain link port, and transmits, to another switch, second setting data for setting a port identified by the first port identifier as an in-domain link port.