Activation of a dormant sibling computer in a communication network by overriding a unique dormant node address with a common active node address
First Claim
1. In a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each being identified by a respective active node address, at least one of said nodes being a redundant node having at least two sibling computers sharing a common active node address for communicating over said communications network, a method for identifying the sibling computers comprising the computer implemented steps of:
- assigning a unique respective dormant node address different from said common active node address to each sibling computer; and
attaching said each sibling computer to the communications network by;
using said unique respective dormant node address to connect said each sibling computer to the network;
determining whether said common active node address is already being used to connect any other sibling computer to the communications network; and
if there is no other sibling computer already using said common active node address to connect to the communications network;
temporarily removing said each sibling computer from the network;
assigning said common active node address to said each sibling computer; and
using said common active node address to re-connect said each sibling computer to the network.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A respective unique dormant address is permanently associated with each of two sibling computers located at a particular node of a communications network. A selected one of the sibling computers is activated by associating an overriding common active node address with the selected computer. Application programs running at other nodes of the network utilize this active node address and thus interface with whichever sibling computer is identified by the active node address. Accordingly, the dormant computer and its physical connection to the network may be monitored by the communications software using its unique dormant address and the dormant computer is always available to replace the active computer in a manner that is transparent to any other computers connected to other nodes of the network.
47 Citations
2 Claims
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1. In a communications network having a plurality of nodes, each being identified by a respective active node address, at least one of said nodes being a redundant node having at least two sibling computers sharing a common active node address for communicating over said communications network, a method for identifying the sibling computers comprising the computer implemented steps of:
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assigning a unique respective dormant node address different from said common active node address to each sibling computer; and attaching said each sibling computer to the communications network by; using said unique respective dormant node address to connect said each sibling computer to the network; determining whether said common active node address is already being used to connect any other sibling computer to the communications network; and if there is no other sibling computer already using said common active node address to connect to the communications network; temporarily removing said each sibling computer from the network; assigning said common active node address to said each sibling computer; and using said common active node address to re-connect said each sibling computer to the network. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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Specification