Method and system for communicating an information packet through multiple networks

• US 20020112085A1
• Filed: 06/01/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudrock LLC (Slingshot Technologies LLC)
• Original Assignee: Noatak Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Berg, Mitchell T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1027 Persistence of sessions during load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/165 Combined use of TCP and UDP protocols; selection criteria therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

According to a first embodiment, through a first network, a first computing device receives an information packet originating from a client. In response to the information packet, the first computing device identifies a computing device that stores a data structure of a connection with the client. If the identified computing device is the first computing device, the first computing device performs an operation in response to the information packet. If the identified computing device is a second computing device the first computing device outputs the information packet through a second network to the second computing device, such that the output information packet bypasses the first network. The second computing device performs the operation in response to the information packet.

According to a second embodiment, through a first local area network, a first computing device receives an information packet from a global computer network. Through a second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and a state of at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, the first computing device selectively outputs the information packet to the second computing device, such that the output information packet bypasses the first local area network.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a first computing device for;

through a first network, receiving an information packet originating from a client;

in response to the information packet, identifying computing device that stores a data structure of a connection with the client;

if the identified computing device is the first computing device, performing an operation in response to the information packet; and

if the identified computing device is a second computing device, outputting the information packet through a second network to the second computing device for performing the operation in response to the information packet, such that the output information packet bypasses the first network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computing device is a network interface card.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first network includes a local area network.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the local area network is coupled through a global computer network to the client.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the second network includes a local area network.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the first network includes a first local area network, and wherein the second network includes a second local area network.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the operation is part of a software application.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the software application is a socket application.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the information packet is addressed by the client to the first computing device, and wherein the first computing device is for receiving the information packet through the first network in response to the addressing.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the operation includes outputting a response packet to the client, and wherein the first computing device is for:

if the identified computing device is the second computing device, outputting the information packet through the second network to the second computing device for outputting the response packet to the client, such that the output response packet bypasses the first computing device.

11. An information processing system, composing:

a first computing device for;

through a first local area network, receiving an information packet from a global computer network; and

through a second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and a state of at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device, such that the output information packet bypasses the first local area network.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first computing device is a network interface card.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the information packet originates from a client, and wherein the first local area network is coupled through the global computer network to the client.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the information packet originates from a client, and wherein the first computing device is for:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device by outputting an encapsulated information packet to the second computing device, the encapsulated information packet including the information packet and a reference to a data structure of a connection with the client.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the reference is included within a single header of the encapsulated information packet.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the first computing device is for:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device for performing an operation in response to the information packet.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the information packet originates from a client, wherein the first local area network is coupled through the global computer network to the client, wherein the operation includes outputting a response packet to the client through the first local area network and the global computer network, and wherein the first computing device is for:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device for outputting the response packet to the client, such that the output response packet bypasses the first computing device.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the operation is part of a software application.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the software application is a socket application.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the information packet is addressed by the client to the first computing device, and wherein the first computing device is for receiving the information packet through the first local area network in response to the addressing.

21. The system of claim 11 wherein the first computing device is for receiving at least a portion of the state from the second computing device through a third local area network.

22. The system of claim 11 wherein the first local area network includes a hub.

23. The system of claim 11 wherein the first local area network includes a Layer 2 switch, and wherein the Layer 2 switch is coupled through a router device to the global computer network.

24. The system of claim 11 wherein the first local area network includes a Layer 3 switch, and wherein the Layer 3 switch is coupled to the global computer network.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the first computing device is a network interface card.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the first network includes a local area network.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the local area network is coupled through a global computer network to the client.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the second network includes a local area network.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the first network includes a first local area network, and wherein the second network includes a second local area network.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the operation is part of a software application.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the software application is a socket application.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the information packet is addressed by the client to the first computing device, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving the information packet through the first network in response to the addressing.

34. The method of claim 25 wherein the operation includes outputting a response packet to the client, and wherein the method comprises:

if the identified computing device is the second computing device, outputting the information packet through the second network to the second computing device for outputting the response packet to the client, such that the output response packet bypasses the first computing device.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the first computing device is a network interface card.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the information packet originates from a client, and wherein the first local area network is coupled through the global computer network to the client.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the information packet originates from a client, and wherein the method comprises:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device by outputting an encapsulated information packet to the second computing device, the encapsulated information packet including the information packet and a reference to a data structure of a connection with the client.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the reference is included within a single header of the encapsulated information packet.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein the method comprises:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device for performing an operation in response to the information packet.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the information packet originates from a client, wherein the first local area network is coupled through the global computer network to the client, wherein the operation includes outputting a response packet to the client through the first local area network and the global computer network, and wherein the method comprises:

through the second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and the state, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device for outputting the response packet to the client, such that the output response packet bypasses the first computing device.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the operation is part of a software application.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the software application is a socket application.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein the information packet is addressed by the client to the first computing device, and wherein the method comprises:

receiving the information packet through the first local area network in response to the addressing.

45. The method of claim 35 wherein the method comprises:

receiving at least a portion of the state from the second computing device through a third local area network.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein the first local area network includes a hub.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein the first local area network includes a Layer 2 switch, and wherein the Layer 2 switch is coupled through a router device to the global computer network.

48. The method of claim 35 wherein the first local area network includes a Layer 3 switch, and wherein the Layer 3 switch is coupled to the global computer network.

25. A method performed by a first computing device of an information processing system, the method comprising:

through a first network, receiving an information packet originating from a client;

in response to the information packet, identifying a computing device that stores a data structure of a connection with the client;

if the identified computing device is the first computing device, performing an operation in response to the information packet; and

if the identified computing device is a second computing device, outputting the information packet through a second network to the second computing device for performing the operation in response to the information packet, such that the output information packet bypasses the first network.

35. A method performed by a first computing device of an information processing system, the method comprising:

through a first local area network, receiving an information packet from a global computer network; and

through a second local area network, in response to at least the information packet and a state of at least one of the first computing device and a second computing device, selectively outputting the information packet to the second computing device, such that the output information packet bypasses the first local area network.