A method includes receiving, at a data link layer (layer 2) gateway device configured to connect the physical network to the SDN network, routing data to a computing device, the computing device selected to receive a packet transmitted from the physical network to the SDN network; receiving, from a source element in the physical network, an address request for a layer 2 address of a router element in the SDN network, the address request including a networking layer address of the router element; transmitting, to the source element in response to receiving the address request, a layer 2 address of the router element using the routing data; receiving, from the source element, a routing request to route a packet to a destination element in the SDN network using the layer 2 address; routing, using the routing data, the received packet to the computing device to route to the destination element.