SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VIRTUAL HOST NAME ROAMING

• US 20060075080A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Panasyuk, Anatoliy, Burr, Michael, Sirjani, Abolfazl, Lu Earl, Min-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• 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 69/162 involving adaptations of sockets based mechanisms secure socket layer H04L63/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The invention relates to systems and methods for providing a uniform network addressing scheme for a user accessing a network that is independent from the computer to which the user accesses the network. A virtual IP address can be assigned to a user, a user session or a program the user is running that is different from the IP address of the computer of the user and different from other users. A virtual host name can be assigned to and associated with the virtual IP address of the user, user session or a program the user is running. As the user accesses the network from different computers, the user can be assigned the same virtual host name and in some cases the same virtual IP address. Furthermore, as the user access the network from multiple user sessions, the user can be assigned a virtual host name that uniquely identifies the user and the user session.

Claims

1. A method for providing a uniform network addressing scheme for a user accessing a computer on a network independent from the computer the user is accessing, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) obtaining a plurality of virtual host names;

(b) assigning, from the plurality of virtual host names, a first virtual host name to a first user accessing a first computer via the network and obtaining a second virtual host name, different from the first virtual host name, to a second user accessing the first computer via the network; and

(c) associating the first virtual host name of the first user with an internet protocol address of the first user associated with first computer and associating the second virtual host name of the second user with an internet protocol address of the second user associated with the first computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises obtaining a plurality of internet protocol addresses for assigning unique internet protocol addresses to each of the first user and the second user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) further comprises obtaining at least one of the plurality of internet protocol addresses from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) further comprises reserving at least one of the plurality of internet protocol addresses for at least one of the first user and the second user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) further comprises associating the least one reserved internet protocol address with at least one of the first virtual host name and the second virtual host name.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises assigning, from the plurality of internet protocol addresses, a first internet protocol address to the first user, and a second internet protocol address, different from the first internet protocol address, to the second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises registering, with a name resolution service, at least one of the plurality of virtual host names to at least one of the first user and the second user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the name resolution service comprises a Domain Name Service.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the name resolution service comprises a Windows Internet Naming Service.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises assigning the first virtual host name to the first user accessing a second computer and associating the first virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the first user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises assigning the second virtual host name to the second user accessing a second computer and associating the second virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the second user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises assigning, while the first user accesses the first computer, a third virtual host name to the first user accessing a second computer and associating the third virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the first user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises assigning, while the second user accesses the first computer, a fourth virtual host name to the second user accessing a second computer and associating the fourth virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the second user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises naming at least one of the plurality of virtual host names with a portion of the characters representing the user'"'"'s identity on the network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises naming at least one of the plurality of virtual host names with a suffix identifying the session of the user when the user is concurrently accessing multiple computers on the network.

16. A system for providing a uniform network addressing scheme for a user accessing a computer on a network independent from the computer the user is accessing, the system comprising:

a server on a network, the server providing a plurality of virtual host names; and

a first computer on the network obtaining, from the plurality of virtual host names, a first virtual host name for a first user of the first computer and a second virtual host name, different from the first virtual host name, for a second user of the first computer; and

a network interface of the first computer associating the first virtual host name of the first user with an internet protocol address of the first user associated with the first computer, and associating the second virtual host name of the second user with an internet protocol address of the second user associated with the first computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server obtains a plurality of internet protocol addresses for assigning a unique internet protocol address to each of the first user and the second user.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the server assigns, from the plurality of internet protocol addresses, a first internet protocol address for the first user, and a second internet protocol address, different from the first internet protocol address, for the second user.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the server obtains at least one of the plurality of internet protocol addresses from a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the server reserves at least one of the plurality of internet protocol addresses for at least one of the first user and the second user.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the network interface associates the least one reserved internet protocol address with at least one of the first virtual host name and the second virtual host name.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the system further comprises a name resolution service to register at least one of the plurality of virtual host names to at least one of the first user and the second user.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the name resolution service comprises a Domain Name Service.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the name resolution service comprises a Windows Internet Naming Service.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the network interface assigns the first virtual host name to the first user accessing a second computer and associates the first virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the first user.

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the network interface assigns the second virtual host name to the second user accessing a second computer and associates the second virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the second user.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein a network interface of a second computer assigns, while the first user accesses the first computer, a third virtual host name to the first user accessing the second computer and associates the third virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the first user.

28. The system of claim 16, wherein a network interface of a second computer assigns, while the second user accesses the first computer, a fourth virtual host name to the second user accessing the second computer and associates the fourth virtual host name with an internet protocol address of the second computer associated with the second user.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein the name of at least one of the plurality of virtual host names comprises a portion of the characters representing the user'"'"'s identity on the network.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein the name of the least one of the plurality of virtual host names comprises a suffix identifying the session of the user when the user is concurrently accessing multiple computers on the network.