diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/config/attributes.py b/confluent_server/confluent/config/attributes.py
index a83520f0..1a14d887 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/config/attributes.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/config/attributes.py
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ node = {
         'description': ('List of static groups for which this node is '
                         'considered a member'),
     },
-    #'type': {
-    #    'description': ('Classification of node as system, vm, etc')
-    #},
+    'type': {
+        'description': ('Classification of node as server or switch'),
+        'validvalues': ('switch', 'server'),
+    },
     #'id': {
     #    'description': ('Numeric identifier for node')
     #},
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/networking/macmap.py b/confluent_server/confluent/networking/macmap.py
index 2522a030..0a374d5a 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/networking/macmap.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/networking/macmap.py
@@ -315,10 +315,12 @@ def _full_updatemacmap(configmanager):
                 'Network topology not available to tenants')
         # here's a list of switches... need to add nodes that are switches
         nodelocations = configmanager.get_node_attributes(
-            configmanager.list_nodes(), ('net*.switch', 'net*.switchport'))
+            configmanager.list_nodes(), ('type', 'net*.switch', 'net*.switchport'))
         switches = set([])
         for node in nodelocations:
             cfg = nodelocations[node]
+            if cfg.get('type', {}).get('value', None) == 'switch':
+                switches.add(node)
             for attr in cfg:
                 if not attr.endswith('.switch') or 'value' not in cfg[attr]:
                     continue
diff --git a/confluent_server/confluent/networking/netutil.py b/confluent_server/confluent/networking/netutil.py
index 60106c34..508c8662 100644
--- a/confluent_server/confluent/networking/netutil.py
+++ b/confluent_server/confluent/networking/netutil.py
@@ -42,10 +42,12 @@ def get_switchcreds(configmanager, switches):
 
 def list_switches(configmanager):
     nodelocations = configmanager.get_node_attributes(
-        configmanager.list_nodes(), ('net*.switch', 'net*.switchport'))
+        configmanager.list_nodes(), ('type', 'net*.switch', 'net*.switchport'))
     switches = set([])
     for node in nodelocations:
         cfg = nodelocations[node]
+        if cfg.get('type', {}).get('value', None) == 'switch':
+            switches.add(node)
         for attr in cfg:
             if not attr.endswith('.switch') or 'value' not in cfg[attr]:
                 continue