A method of automatically configuring a data network, the data network including a controller and a virtualization host with a hypervisor installed thereon, the method including creating a virtual switch in the hypervisor and communicatively coupling the virtual switch to a first physical network interface in the virtualization host. Further, the method includes receiving a request to boot an operating system image in a virtual machine in the hypervisor, the operating system image having network connectivity requirements. The method also includes creating a first virtual port in the virtual switch based upon the network connectivity requirements of the operating system image and creating a first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine in the hypervisor. Further, the method includes communicatively coupling the first virtual network adapter to the first virtual port in the virtual switch and configuring networking attributes of the first virtual network adapter in the virtual machine.